Commitment of the Gifted
by Renulpire
Summary: They say that opposites usually attract one another. Whether or not this theory is true, it shall be put to the test in this heartwarming tale where you will have the chance to see the unfolding of strong emotions and feelings between two individuals, members of an astounding species.


Author's rambling:

Here it is, folks!

I'm very proud to present you the next story I have come up with. This time, I offer you yet another love story but this time, it will be about two Pokémon; two Lucario. I based this story upon a bit of requesting from my friend Jake. He helped me get an adorable Renamon plush and so, I told him I'd write him a little something, since he absolutely loves Lucario and that I was quite grateful. (Happy B-Day, Jake.)

I hope you will like this one, everyone! Lucario seems to be a fairly popular Pokémon, but it is also one of my favorite; so everything is working out, it seems! It's been a while since I began to contemplate the idea of submitting Lucario stuff.

As always, comments, ratings, favorites, everything is very appreciated. I love when you folks show me if you liked what I did. It motivates me very much!

The thumbnail you see here is from an image made by zp92 on FurAffinity and he kindly authorized me to use it.

Please note that this is in no way a story related to his Lucario gal named Lucy. The tale I wrote is not about her, it is about my original characters.

Alright, then. What are you waiting for? Read on, friends! =3

-Ren

P.S.: If you manage to spot some mistakes, errors and the likes, feel free to leave me a little message so I can become better.

Thank you!

* * *

Commitment of the Gifted

* * *

The port town of Old Garthin bathed in the shadows the countless clouds provided yet again on this day. Luckily enough, no storm seemed to menace the peaceful town, but still, most ship captains had deemed necessary to wait out for the sky to become free of any bad omen before venturing onto the great Panzaii Ocean that bordered the great docks. This naturally made the sailors happy, adding a valuable excuse to spend more time with their mates in the few pubs that offered drinks and fun all day and all night long. Human and Pokémon alike, regardless of their species, would barge into the nearest establishment to play a few gambling games and enjoy some good and relaxing time, reviving their spirit before going onto the next great voyage they would embark in, out of pure fun and for the thrill of adventure.

Most inhabitants of the village were happy to welcome and offer food and shelter to those sea travelers because they were always bound to bring some very interesting merchandise with themselves. Items ranging from jewelry to armament, from delicious delicacies to raw materials, there was always something for everyone. The market in the center of Old Garthin was very noticeable, too. In fact, it covered half of the small town's territory. It stretched from the edge of the sea to reach the busy town centre, where countless stalls dominated every big street. There even was a special section on the very edge of the ocean, where water Pokémon served the many clients that walked on the several large quays.

A popular stall in that specific sector was named Royal Rings. The owner of the shop was a fish Pokémon; a Goldeen. Submerged in her element, she listened closely to her clients, who sat on the edge of the wooden bridge, pointing at the various rings installed all around the three walls around her. She would pick any given ring with her horn and hand it to the demander without any issue whatsoever. It was a good show.

Another stall found in that particular area was specialized in shards. It was particularly busy during bright days, where the colorful reflections produced by the enigmatic items brought many inquisitive individuals to the stall. One thing was even more special, however: the owner. Indeed, the proprietor of the shard shop was in fact... two beings in one. Lazily, slowly, without any stress whatsoever, the Slowbro answered his clients' questions by taking his time to ponder upon each of the words he said. The other being that was found to be permanently latched onto his pink tail, like a parasite of some sort, exhibited much more enthusiasm, forcing the pink creature to show more energy by biting him harshly from time to time. Despite their many differences, the duo made a good pair of merchants and they were good friends as well.

Unfortunately, on this cloudy day, the Slowbro's stall was not as popular once again; surely because absolutely no ray of light dared to pierce the clouds and bring beauty to his merchandise. It had been like that for a while, Mother Nature seemingly refusing to let her evil, fluffy cloud minions go away from the area. He sighed in despair, something he did even after a big, lucrative sale. The spiral creature attached to his tail could only do the same, disappointed just as much at the poor dealing. Then, their eyes shifted to a certain Pokémon that was seen jogging about, bringing a lot of attention to herself. A proud, bluish canine walked in their direction, a very large sack of items resting onto one of her strong shoulders. She hummed loudly and merrily, carrying the thing like if it weighted an once, which was obviously not the case, considering how ridiculously enormous it happened to be, almost on the verge of bursting open. There was no doubt about it, it was her.

The big thump made audible as the huge bag was dropped on the ground had been loud enough to cause the surrounding people to look at the canine in pure astonishment. She was then seen leaning onto the counter, her elbows resting onto the hard surface whilst her big paws were placed upon her cheeks, supporting her head as she stared at the owners of the small stand, awaiting a greeting from them. It took a bit of time, but the two guys did salute the female jackal. Their interest seemed to be focused on the outrageously large pouch she carried, however.

[Hiya! How's it going, bosses?] she exclaimed with a hint of playfulness in her feminine voice, almost in a teasing way.

[Not too... bad... How about... you, Diana?]

[I'm doing fantastic, thanks! I brought your shipment, the one we agreed on about a week ago.]

[Wonderful...]

His intonation remained as monotonous despite the initial happiness he felt. He remained still, staring into the horizon, past the Lucario, seemingly deep in thought for a moment. The girl blinked a few times and leaned in further, waving a paw in front of the biped's eyes for a few seconds. Nothing, no reaction whatsoever. The pink being was simply disconnected from reality for a little instant, there. It was when Diana nodded at the shellfish attached to his tail that the shop owner could feel an intense stimulus, causing the canine to stifle a giggle at the amusing reaction of her merchant friend as the attached Shellder bit him hard.

[Oh, right...]

She placed her paws onto her hips, tilting her head at the same time, expecting more from her associate. Thankfully, he seemed to be more present than before, surely because of the smaller patron's physical convincing.

[As we agreed, here is... your reward,] he sighed, looking depressed. [Gosh... you're putting me to shame once again, Diana...]

[Oh, why's that?] she asked in an almost innocent tone, a mischievous smile on her muzzle as she seized the coin purse that was reluctantly handed to her by the psychic Pokemon. She emptied the entirety of her bundle behind the counter, next to the seller. The precious things made a very big pile, easily reaching up and over the counter. He did not need to count how many there were, nor did he have the time. It would have taken hours to do so and he knew the girl was not one that enjoyed standing still for too long. Additionally, he knew she was of the honest type, prizing a nice reward for all of her efforts. She often gave him a little bonus of a few more shards than needed, just for fun.

[Every time I need you to retrieve more shards and bring them to me so I can sell them, it's a bright sunny day and the prices and popularity of my wares are high, so you're making me buy the fruit of you labor for extreme sums. Right now, I can't even sell ten shards a day because of the clouds. My items look like... plain old rocks. I sold 468 shards that day when we made the deal...]

[I'm sorry, old friend. I need to sell you these shards at the highest price or I won't be able to pay for my meals and the items I need for myself. I also want to get a little treat once in a while! Do you know how much work it is to extract those from the rocky mountains?]

[I know, I know... I understand that, and ... I'm not upset. You're just... a clever Pokémon, that's all.]

She appeared pleased by that statement, her cute tail wagging in delight, betraying her inner joy, which seemed quite hard to contain. To be fair, the Slowbro really did have the money to pay the Lucario for her work. He was simply a little bit greedy, perhaps even cheap, considering how difficult it would be for anyone else to obtain shards like these. Even though he had quite a good amount of currency stored in his name at the local bank, he still felt the need to get the best deals whenever he had the opportunity. Unfortunately for him, he was forgetful and easily confused, which did not let him get the chance to be a prime trader.

[If we're done for today, I'll be enjoying an evening here, in Old Garthin, before I return to the mountains tomorrow morning.]

[Next time, I'll buy the shards... the day you bring them in...]

[Very well! Good night, then! And good night to you too, Shelly! Was nice seeing you!]

The grayish creature latched onto the vendor's tail emitted a merry chirp as the Lucario waved a quick goodbye, clearly excited to be going out in town. Perhaps would the vendor finally strike a good deal? He had a feeling he would not, for some reasons. Diana was one smart girl when she needed to sell the many shards she acquired through her hard work. She was also his sole supplier. Even then, he considered her content smirk as a good reward every time she emptied her gigantic bag. Her hard work was something she could be proud of, that was for sure.

* * *

The pub was pretty crowded; a lot more than the usual. Songs were sang in the far end of the building and cups were heard clashing every once in a while, the cheerful folk exchanging wishes and toasts for good health and fortune. The fighting type imagined that all of this joyful ruckus must have been because of tonight's special, which stated that upon buying a drink, the second one was half price. A quick look at the bartender would reveal that the marketing strategy averred to be quite a success. The Cofagrigus smiled brightly whilst his upper limbs took care of cleaning a glass, his second pair of ghostly palms rubbing one another almost maliciously as currency was deposited in front of him. When Diana made her way to the bar, she was recognized by a few, probably due to the bag that was now tied at her waist, an item that always brought attention directly to her, even more when it was filled like earlier that day. She sat down at the counter and waved at some people sitting in the far back. A girl sat down next to the Lucario as she ordered her drink, pushing a few coins towards the bartender, giving a puzzled look to the Lucario.

[Diana? Is that you?]

She instantly recognized the voice and smiled as she took a first sip. She was the only Lucario in the region, so of course it was her. She turned on her stool and aimed a big smile at the electric Pokémon that had joined her, nonetheless; she was a very good friend, if not a little gullible. The Raichu's expression brightened when she met with her eyes.

[Miselle! How are you, dear?]

[Pretty good, thank you! How do you do? It's been such a long time since I last saw you in the city!]

[It has, it has... I came back from my expedition today. It was wonderful, like always.]

[You never stop, do you?]

[Ha, you know me too well! Once I start spending time in the wild and training, I just keep on going and going!]

The Raichu did not share the canine's passion for outdoorsy fun in the slightest. In fact, she very much liked to spend entire days inside her house, doing calm activities. Once the evening started, she would use all of her stored energy to talk and have a pleasant time for all the night, be it in pubs, the local fishery, or even at friends' places. Still, even though she was so much different than her fighter friend, she was happy and feeling merry to see how satisfied she looked.

[You'll need to come and have a talk with the fishers of Tertan Bay. They're a good bunch.]

[Aye-aye, me hearty,] jested the bluish jackal as she squinted one eye and imitated a drunken sailor for a second. It had been enough to make her friend giggle.

[Say, there's been word around the bar that a new ship might be coming tomorrow or the day after.]

Diana took another sip before her gaze locked into the electric rodent's, wondering if the story was fact or fiction. Curiousness and interest filled her look. A new vessel would mean new people and ultimately, it might also have meant that there was bound to be new faces establishing in town. This definitely was enough to pick her inquisitiveness. The mouse Pokémon continued:

[Rumors have it that these are settlers looking for a new home. There surely are a few merchants amongst them; we might be seeing new wares around here! How exciting is that?]

[Hmm, it is. I wonder if there's any Pokémon like... you know...]

The Raichu nodded with a compassionate pout as the fighter cut her mysterious sentence short.

[Maybe... if there is one or several, I will try to tell them where you are. Perhaps will you be lucky, Diana?]

[I sure hope so, I'd really like to meet one... I'd be so thrilled to befriend one of my own or let alone see one of my kind...]

The following hours were spent inside the establishment. The fun lasted for quite a while before the girl had to go her own way. She had limited herself to two drinks for the whole night, which were enough for her to have a good time. When she exited the bar, she waved a friendly goodbye to Miselle before venturing onto the main avenue. The sun was not even in sight yet. She thought that it might have been a bit early for some shopping, but she went on anyways.

Once onto the paved road, she travelled down a few yards to find a rather small shop. Its display window revealed an ensemble of colorful elixirs and potions. She entered and knocked on the door twice before someone could appear to serve and welcome her. She was thankful for the owner to be open even at such an early hour. Perhaps was it profitable enough with all the people in town to gain some additional money. The Lucario carefully chose every single vial she intended to take with her. Those, along with the essentials, which comprised water and nourishment, were enough to fill her bag quite a bit. She intended to be out of town for a minimum of two weeks after all and provisions were an absolute must.

She felt merry by the thought alone: trekking her way back up the mountains, rejoining with this spot she had discovered not that long ago during her previous stay. Truly, there were really no-one in the mountains, except for a few Pokémon that just like her, still preferred to establish themselves out of view, in peace, far from the busy towns. Her habitation was modest, to say the least. Like most Pokémon, she lived in a hole. Only, her den proved to be remarkably detailed, the ground carved in a design she very much appreciated, showing a somewhat peculiar architecture for a burrow. There were a few flat rocks on the inside and even separate rooms. She had been the sole resident of this home for several years. Her grasp tightened around the neck of her pouch as she exited the shop. She was excited to get back up there already.

Some people would have thought the Lucario would be the type to party all day and night and enjoy activities such as arm wrestling and the likes, considering her strong personality. They would all be wrong, for Diana fancied some alone time more than anything. She would spend a day or two at the port between her trips, but nothing more. Outgoing, loud and fairly extroverted, she would still treasure her time in the mountainous region more than anything. This could be explained by her passion for training in the wild, which could be fully satisfied once out of town. To be completely honest, she found it addicting, using techniques to dig in the rocky sides of the mountain themselves as she perfected moves, and found valuable shards at the same time. It was a real win-win situation, every punch or kick giving a nice feeling to her. She could go wild and let her power loose without being worried of endangering anyone. Perhaps this was why she preferred to be alone at times as well?

She felt an incredible relief when the pure and slightly chilly breeze welcomed her to her rightful domain a few hours later, following a rather quick climb to the high altitudes. She found out that she was able to race her way up faster and faster with each trip she had done so far. She deposited her large bag and extended her arms completely whilst she aimed her muzzle at the sky. Her neck fur moved a bit because of the wind. It felt as if she was greeted by her own home. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes as she embraced herself, wrapping her arms around her torso.

[I was already missing you... ahhh...]

She then made her way to the place she considered to be her habitation. When she arrived, a very big boulder blocked the way in. She bent down and put some dirt into her palms before she spat into them and rubbed them plentifully. She placed both of her frontal limbs onto one side of the rock and pushed. Without too much effort, the natural blockade rolled into the opposite direction, revealing the entrance of a familiar tunnel. Not many Pokémon could have moved such an obstacle, which made it a good locking system whenever the jackal had to leave her place unattended.

Once inside, she took the care of emptying her bag. She went into the storage room and placed all the potions and other items into one corner. She then went to another section of her den to inspect what was left concerning food and drinks. There was still plenty, which forced her to store the excess she had just bought before going back. Although she trained practically every day, Diana did not eat like a Munchlax would. She did drink an awful lot of water, though.

With that over with, she sighed and placed her paws behind her head, lightly petting her aura-sensing organs to reward herself for her successful trek up the windy path leading to this serene environment. She was glad to be back and on the same note, was dying to start her daily activities. She let her furry digit trail down to her back. Once there, she seized the clothing that covered her. It was an ensemble of tight, black ribbons knitted together to form some kind of shirt. It was hiding the most intimate parts of her upper body and highlighted her frontal spike; it suited her well. Although she was as flat as a plank, with no sign of womanly breasts whatsoever, the canine really did want to appear as a decent young jackal by wearing this top.

Little did she know that such a thing was not necessary for her. A single glance at her wonderful hips would reveal her gender more than anything else. Desirable curves and a firm, round bum were part of her feminine frame. The light bend in her lower back would also be a good enough indicator. Naturally, what hid beneath her loin cloth would also be enough to prove her womanliness, but her fur also acted as a good enough cover, keeping her bits concealed.

Staying true to her strong personality, she could only utter a proud shout as she wrapped her upper chest with very tight bandages, encouraged. She also did the same for her wrists and paws, and then for her shins and feet paws. Preparations like these took a bit of time, since her digits were large and that she possessed only three on each paw. That did not matter, however, because it only added to the excitement of awaiting a good day of training. It was still early and a lost bird Pokémon announced the emergence of the sun on the horizon as it flew in a bee line outside. Soon enough, Diana would be able to go to her previous mining spot, where she dug for shards and other precious things whilst exploring techniques and testing her strength and endurance. Boy did she love that. She never had enough of it.

* * *

[Aura... let me see...]

It was something she absolutely did not want to pass up before every session. A paw placed above her chest spike, she tilted her muzzle downwards a little and focused, eyes closed and taking lengthy breaths. Her four organs placed behind her head rose up until they lightly vibrated, remaining suspended in a horizontal position. She used her aura-sensing gift to search the area in hopes of identifying every living creature that inhabited the surroundings. Light-bluish forms could be seen in her special visions, showing signs of life in the far distance. Diana always verified if anyone was nearby or if she was near a Pokémon den before beginning her destructive activities. Some caverns were also home for individuals too, but thankfully, nothing seemed to be in her way. In fact, the nearest living being appeared to be frolicking on a plateau of some sorts several miles away. She opened her eyes and smiled to herself in pure contentment.

[Alrighty!]

The Lucario began her second routine, which consisted of warming up before going all-out. She drew circles with her arms, tilted her head from one side to another, flexed her knees a few times and even wagged her tail in a methodic way to ensure every muscle of her body had been properly warmed up. The show was quite adorable. This lasted for a few minutes, until she ended her pre-training by touching her foot paws with her palms. Diana was a very flexible Pokémon and so, she did not have much trouble doing such a pose. She let herself drop down a bit further until she was almost bent past a complete half. Reaching so low exposed her derrière and some other things very openly, but she cared not of this. She was alone and to be frank, the jackal was considering nudity as a natural thing during such instances. It was the last of her concerns, with no one to take a peek.

She wasted no time. The second she straightened back up, a mystical, bluish aura appeared around her front paws. A wide, confident grin also came into being during that same moment. She was ready. She approached the rocky mountainside and, taking a second to focus, trusted both her arms into the hard matter. A loud crashing sound was heard the instant she impacted with the rocks. Hundreds of tiny pieces were shot in all directions and a small cloud of particles appeared. She recharged her palms and punched with both her limbs once more, causing a bigger commotion. She did that a few more times before switching to single-handed attacks. Being part steel type, she was thankful of the additional defense she was gifted with. She needed that trait and to be frank, that was part of what made her so resistant and effective when destroying boulders. Hits after hits, a concavity of some sort began to form itself into the rock.

No one except herself could hear the enthusiastic growls she produced. To some, it might have appeared to be completely useless and demanding, but to the bluish Pokémon, it was a necessity when she unleashed her energy. It also had a soothing effect, somehow. By shouting out loud with each strike she gave, she could be sure not to back off or abandon her training. It was very important to do this self-confirmation, as it motivated her greatly. Perhaps was it something only she understood. Thinking back about it, she never had the chance of doing this demanding activity with anyone else ever before. This was the major drawback of her seclusion; it was the price she had to pay to enjoy hitting, scratching, pushing to her heart's content. It was also the only way to acquire shards. Needless to say, she was still able to overcome this bad side of her job and hobby... sometimes.

Many were the nights where she would purposely get back to the den in a state of great exhaustion. She did that so she could fall asleep rather quickly. She escaped that situation where she was found to be unable to fall into a deep slumber because of the pesky thoughts that haunted her mind. Deep inside, beneath this attitude and those strong impressions, Diana felt quite lonely. Secretly, she is sometimes seen training only to vent out her inner deceptions towards this matter. If only she could share her passion with someone else... She was wrong to say she preferred it that way; she wanted someone to train with, really badly.

Love always was a touchy subject for the Lucario. Whenever the topic was brought up in discussions with friends, she would try to evade the subject immediately. She even went to the extent of shaking her head if she ever did think about it, trying to shake off the thoughts. Never had she met someone who wished to explore their skillset as much as she did. At this instance, exercising for Diana was very present in her life. She was not sure if she would want someone who resided in town and did not want to go to the mountains very much. That area she works in is practically where she is established, so the best bet would have been to find a guy who would have liked to live in the wild with her. Sure, some of the residents of Old Garthin were good fellows, but the jackal had a pretty refined taste even then and a net preference to her own species, which was of an exceptional rarity in the region.

There was also the issue of her special gift. Being able to control and feel the aura of both herself and every other living creature was a very special thing, and she was really eager to talk about that, maybe even boast about such a feat once in a while. Unfortunately, she was the only Lucario in these parts and no one else really knew how it felt to be able to work with such a mysterious and intriguing essence. Perhaps were a few of them a bit insecure about it. Diana could recall seeing some worried faces when she revealed that she could see through walls and even know who was behind a said wall and that her sensing range was absolutely gigantic. People did not really understand in the end. They might have had the wrong idea in mind. On top of that, the jackal was not exactly the most delicate when speaking of such things. She knew that and would not blame anyone.

The day passed by like a speeding Pidgeot. It was getting late by the time she finally stopped crushing rocks. A single shard had been extracted today. At a first glance, it looked like some sort of dark, elongated rock. The bluish canine knew more than that. She brought the object a bit closer to her face, gripping it with one of her paws whilst her other palm was positioned behind it. In a second or two, a blue sphere of odd energy materialized in that last limb, causing quite the light to appear and thus, shine through the rock, which revealed its hidden color: green. Satisfied, the girl smiled and nodded at herself, tossing the shard in the air and catching it between her furry fingers. She did so on the way home too. Today had not been profitable at all, but she had managed to weaken an important area situated on the side of the mountain she had targeted. She had the odd feeling that her efforts would pay off if she kept to that spot and usually, her instincts were pretty fair in general concerning shard mining. A slow start, followed by considerate results.

Even though she was so glad to be back to work, the Lucario was well tired from her first day. It did not take her much time before she found her bedroom and lied down onto the mattress situated not too far from the door, installed on an elevated carved rock, almost crashing against it. She then reclined back onto her elbows, resting for a few seconds. In one slow and lazy movement, Diana drew an arc with one of her legs and then, multiple tiny balls appeared out in thin air. Every little projectile was launched in a different direction. They raced to each corners of the carved room, emitting a faint light as they each found their place. Makeshift candles, really. Needless to say, the fighting type possessed a superior level of aura mastership.

It was a moment later that she wrapped herself inside a warm blanket and comfortably curled up on the small foam mattress. She placed the green item she had obtained right in front of her, only to stare at it for a few seconds before she drifted off to a well-deserved rest. Today had been a good day nevertheless.

* * *

The waves collided with less force against the wooden frame of the ship as the anchors were dropped, significantly reducing its speed as the docks came closer. Multiple individuals were seen scurrying around in hopes of stabilizing the large vessel while it arrived at the grand port. The operation went down slowly and without too much trouble. The sails could have been folded a bit quicker, but it was not that bad. It was after a moment that the passengers were authorized to leave their respective room and climb up onto the main deck so that they could eventually leave the ship.

A few select individuals had been seasick during the crossing. He was glad he had the heart to support the ride. He did not especially like the trip, but he was thankful everything had gone according to plan, without any real issue. He frowned in disappointment as he weighted his sole coin purse, however. The sound of his remaining coinage was not as loud as when he had embarked onto the "Rivière Tordue". Indeed, the price of the ferry was high, higher than he thought it would have been. Thus, with almost no gold left, it appeared as if he were here to stay in that town. He did not complain, but he could not deny that he was slightly worried about what possibilities could ever be offered to him in order to obtain currency.

He rapidly felt uncomfortable when he noticed how busy the streets and docks seemed to be as he disembarked with his few possessions. Sadly, he could feel his nervousness rise when he made his way into the large and active populace. He would have stayed on the vessel, but such a choice was not an option. Quickly and without looking back, he almost dashed his way towards the city centre. His breathing got louder and more labored and he could feel a strange weakness getting into his knees and his torso. A knot also seemed to materialize inside of his throat. Not good, not good at all. He put a paw onto his stomach in an attempt to reduce the odd feeling that appeared within. The voices, the steps, the looks of everyone present around him were too much to handle for the poor Pokémon, who did not desire such attention directed towards him.

He made a sharp turn into a small, dark alley to shield himself from all of this pressure. It was there that he could gradually regain control of the situation and just calm down. Why did he have to get to one of the busiest places in the region? He felt pathetic because of his discomfort. He put both of his frontal limbs onto the sides of his head and massaged himself a little bit, muzzle aimed upwards as vigor reappeared in his legs, which only trembled lightly. He had to relax and simmer down a tad more before going back into the busy crowd of people, in hopes of traversing the entire city square to reach a calmer spot on the other side.

[G-gosh...] he muttered to himself in a desperate whisper. He cursed and sat down onto the ground, leaning back against a red brick wall. It was always such a hassle to get through the masses without panicking. His grave case of ochlophobia, the fear of the masses, was a serious thing. If only he could learn to ignore this side of him and just go on with his business. He closed his eyes and dropped his muzzle, releasing another long sigh. He was disturbed, to say the least; so much that he would not notice the curious vulpine face that stared at him from the end of the alley. The observing being had to release a little yap to get the tired Pokémon's attention.

Not too far from him, stood a Flareon. He seemed to be young despite being an evolved individual. The traveler could deduce this because of how casually and merrily the fire type trotted towards him. His assumptions were justified when the quadruped opened his mouth to speak:

[Are you okay, Mister? Do you want to play with me?]

He was a bit surprised by the question, taken off guard, but understood that the stranger wished to make him feel better somehow. Was his discomfort that obvious? He stood back up and knelt in front of the fluffy being and explained his situation.

[I think I will be alright, little one. I need to get to a quiet place, that's all. I'm not feeling too good when there are a lot of folks around me.]

[Oh! Oh! I know where you could go! Follow me!]

The fox child was getting very excited for some reason. Perhaps had he been waiting to play with someone for a long time? The taller individual did not have the time to either accept or deny the proposition; the fiery creature had already began to run. He followed without question, zigzagging through a system of connected alleys until he was found onto the roof of a building. Once there, the fire Pokémon nodded at him and then ran across and jumped to reach another rooftop. A few people could spot them, but the experience was far better than if they had needed to get through the crowd. Additionally, the roofs were not crowded whatsoever and thus, that helped significantly. Their little game ended once they reached the top of the building situated next to the Northern gate of the city.

[Over there! There is a lot of room if you climb up!] exclaimed the guide. [But no one to play with...] he added with a hint of sadness in his tone.

The reddish fellow was seen sitting down and pointing dead ahead of him, one of his tiny front paws directed at the distant landscape. From the looks of it, there appeared to be a thick forest far, far away. More importantly, a few paths seemed to be present past the greenery, winding up, towards the icy peaks. A quick glance would reveal the presence of multiple plains and even further up, snowy mountains. There seemed to be an infinite surface of calm and serene places over yonder, but in order to reach the haven, a long walk was in order. The way up seemed to be quite lengthy, but it might have been the perfect place for someone as solitary as the immigrant. Still, the nature looked promising even at higher altitudes, letting room for less trees, but spectacular rock formations.

[Thank you for showing me, friend. I think I would love to explore those parts.]

[I was glad to be of help! Take care... Mister Lucario.]

* * *

He had to be careful when progressing into the dense verdance. Roots, bushes and other obstacles alike reigned over the soil and hindered his foot paws slightly. He had expected the presence of clearer trails and paths, but was instead welcomed by the many trees and low plants that dominated the forest. Even though this rendered his trek a bit more difficult, he enjoyed the pure air that rushed into his lungs; an air much more different than the port's. Nature always soothed his soul. He already was eager to explore the lands situated past the groves.

He also discovered that there seemed to be a significant amount of inhabitants in the woodland. Many had been the Pokémon comfortable enough to establish themselves in this luxuriant environment, preferring the calm of the woods over the busy city. He met with a few curious creatures, addressing a polite nod at each one of them as he progressed forward, minding his own business. He was not the most social type after all, but he still was a polite individual nonetheless, even if he did feel very strange and uncomfortable when facing many people at once.

It was after an hour or two that the woods seemed to thin out and become a bit more attenuated, just like the surrounding populace that could be felt around him. As he walked forth, glancing back over his shoulder for a moment, he could finally see that he had been going up for quite a bit of time. This might have explained why the forest's reaches were starting to diminish greatly.

[Wow...]

It was a moment later that the canine would reach a grand plateau, which seemed to be squeezed between two hills. Long grass dominated the entirety of the field. The place seemed to be ideal if one ever wished to grow a field, but the course nature had taken appeared just as good to his eyes. He took a moment to appreciate the view. He also extended both of his arms so that his paws could attain the tip of the tall grass. He gently let himself brush against it and closed his eyes, softly turning onto himself a few times in pure bliss. The action had an instantaneous, relaxing effect on him. It was obvious that the fighter could have used his strength to progress immensely quicker through all of the forest or the landscape that had yet to be travelled on, but he chose to travel at a slower rhythm to take in all he could see. As this particular moment showed, it was all worth it to appreciate every little aspect of this exploring trip. The day was also going to end before he could reach a higher point. So, he came to the conclusion that spending the night in the field would be the most reasonable option to take.

He began to use his foot paws to stomp onto the grass, flattening a spot in the process. He did that until a decent circle had been created by his feet. He also plucked some of that leveled grass and coated himself with it. The night was probably going to be cold and so, he took the precaution of putting something over him to cut off the freshness of the morning dew that was bound to drop during the earliest hours of the morning. He lay down onto his back, under the trusty pile of straw, his eyes looking up into the sky. Unfortunately, there were a lot of clouds present in the atmosphere, preventing any enjoyable star observation from happening. He could be seen smiling weakly despite of that, content.

* * *

Less and less Pokémon had been encountered as his venture went upwards still. He was able to traverse through numerous meadows until the land was becoming much hillier and thus, largely deserted. He imagined that this would be an acceptable altitude if he ever wished to seek a potential area to temporarily call home, especially given how many rocky cliffs and caverns there were. It was surprising to see that he was all by himself. Not only was he to be all alone, but he would also enjoy a lightly chilly, albeit rejuvenating air at the same time. Speaking of which, it seemed to be transporting a peculiar smell, like someone's personal odor or something around those lines. It was very discreet, but also slightly unsettling. He was certain he was the only one in the area and that was what troubled him about the matter. Just so he could be absolutely certain, he attempted to use his aura-reading power in hopes of finding any evidence of life in the environment near him. As he did this, a frown appeared onto his face, showing that he especially focused this time. There was nothing to be felt in a radius of a mile around him. How strange...

He wondered if his senses were tricking him, for he was positive someone had ventured around here before he had arrived. He wished for his gift to reach a greater limit, for he could not be sure if anyone was beyond that radius he could work with. He disregarded the issue for now, but remained on his guard. This might have been the result of a Pokémon passing through on a previous day or something similar.

He took a moment to admire the snowy peaks the landscape was crowned with. High up, he knew that many ice Pokémon were to be found, shielding themselves in a haven of frost and cold to evade the warmth or even the salty air near Old Garthin. He could not blame them; he would probably have joined them if he had been gifted by an affinity with that element. He could also have been able to defend himself very well against members of that type if he ever decided to go to their unforgiving realm, given he was part fighting and part steel himself. However, he judged that there would not be any honor or even any use whatsoever in fighting disadvantaged opponents. He was much better than that and he instead preferred to avoid unnecessary encounters. The Lucario lived up to his species' reputation, being a noble and just individual.

It was a moment later that the Pokémon discovered something suspicious. A hole, or rather, a tunnel dug into the side of a mountain. Its shape was fairly wide; enough to let him enter without the need of crouching down; if he ever wanted to go in. The edges were very rough, indicating that the bizarre corridor had been created out of utility and not for housing. He would have suspected it to be a Pokémon den, but the way it seemed to remain in a straight line, along with the irregular sides, told him otherwise. It felt like if there had been an excavation of some sort inside. Just as he was about to enter, a loud, deafening explosion was suddenly made audible in the vicinity.

BOOM!

He jumped when he heard the sound. He was astonished to hear how near the source of the ruckus seemed to be as well. He hesitated for a few seconds, unsure if he wished to know what or who had caused such a noise. His opinion was decided when a second, albeit smaller boom was produced. He would have wanted to know more, using his aura-reading ability, but alas, he could not quite decipher the information he wished to acquire at this time. Instead, he turned towards the source of the noise and began to run towards it. Multiple possibilities could explain the bizarre event and so, it might have been wiser to get on the site in case someone was in danger.

* * *

[Oh, oh, oh!  
I won't go down!  
I'll stand my ground!  
There are pretty shards to be found!]

It was a bit hard to see with all the dust settling in as she punched and punched to destroy the rock all around her. She had progressed a few meters deeper than where she had halted yesterday. It was one tough job, but she was the only one up to do it. Nevertheless, she was determined, in her own element, as her merry singing confirmed. With each blow came a few broken rocks, but sometimes, the tip of a shard would timidly appear and reveal itself. The bluish ball of mystical energy that idly floated above her head did not give as much light as the sun did, but it had been enough for her to see what she was doing and more importantly, see where the precious gems hid.

[Oh, that's a big one!]

She plucked out the rather large shard and briefly examined its color before releasing a pleased laugh. As with all of the profitable things she found, she surrounded the object in a bluish aura and sent it flying right towards the exit of the hole. The item soon joined the pile and was forgotten, the Lucario prioritizing her next move. She took a few steps back and closed her eyes as she put both of her palms by her side, facing one another. A little sphere of aura then began to materialize between her limbs, growing and growing with each passing second. A confident smile flashed across her muzzle lips as she fired the ball right in front of her.

BOOM!

An outrageous amount of broken stone blasted out all around her form, flying in all directions at an impressive speed. It hurt her a little, but she was used to the stinging pain her work often brought. Plus, she had several potions waiting for her outside when she would feel the need to use them. Slightly unsatisfied of the smallness of the hole she had just created, she readied a second sphere, less important this time, and fired once more.

The second attack had been strong enough to pulverize a dirt wall that had somehow slipped between two rocky formations. Diana never dealt with those with her paws. She instead preferred to use her powers to make it disappear so that she would not step into filth. Still, that did not prevent her from being dirty from the tip of her ears to the end of her foot paws. With a huff, she rubbed her eyes and shook her head a few times whilst she waited for the dust cloud to clear off. When she set her sight upon what was now presented in front of her, a bright smile crept up onto her muzzle lips.

She used the back of her frontal paws, or the spike that protruded out of them to be more precise, to extract the multiple gems that had been exposed. She could guess that there also seemed to be new colors among those as well, indicating the tunnel was getting to a good, profitable length. As usual, she coated each of the precious gems with a light bluish energy, only to send them out flying out of her way and towards the pile. There was a long way to go, but given how proficient she was with her powers, she trusted that the shards would reach their destination in a few moments, landing in the big stash outside. How wrong had she been... She only had the time to turn around and rub her paws for a few seconds, debating if it was time for a break or not before something weird occurred near the entrance of the long tunnel:

[Ah! Ouch!]

Her eyes grew wide open when she remarked the vocalization. Was her hearing messing around with her perception? Was this voice the product of an echo of some sort? It all was improbable to her. No, something, someone was out there; and she had hit it with her projectile. She rushed to the exit of her quarry, her strong legs propelling her at an amazing speed as she accelerated to an unreal pace, the walls of the gallery becoming long blurs all around her. The outside lighting came in fast. She was forced to slide upon the short and wet grass when she emerged out of the hole just like a bullet. Her feet let her glide across a few meters as her look anxiously glanced all around her. When she finally spotted the source of the voice, she completely froze, mouth gaping open.

Near the entrance of the cavern, a Pokémon gently rubbed his shoulder, his other palm holding a shard, which appeared to be the cause of his pain. She found herself to be unable to pronounce a single word as she noticed what kind of creature the stranger averred to be. Those long, black legs, those generous, bluish thighs, that cream furry torso, those spikes on the back of his paws and onto the center of his chest, there was no doubt about it: that masked, red-eyes being was a Lucario, just like her. The general shape of his body could also reveal that he was a male.

She had awaited such an encounter for so long; yet, she was unable to say anything, like if her maw had been stuck wide open. She was taken completely off guard and she even felt a bit intimidated to see that she had unwillingly attacked the innocent Pokémon. Had she ruined her only chance at meeting one of her own? A mix of guilt and astonishment boiled in her soul and she felt her heart stop when he finally gazed upon her.

He was equally speechless before the spectacle that unraveled in front of him. He took the time to examine the Pokémon standing not too far from him. Her lighter frame revealed her gender right away, along with some more feminine features such as her thinner torso and her more delicate limbs. He could not restrain himself from blushing when his eyes wandered down her physique to appreciate how round and beautiful her hips were. She also had one of the greatest bums he had ever dared to observe. He tried not to stare for too long. Even though he knew nothing of the mysterious Pokémon, he would have hated to give her the wrong idea and wished to respect her right from the start. He also knew he had a seemingly strong Lucario looking back at him and thus, wished for no trouble. She did seem to be doing a similar examination, though. That was reassuring.

[I... I think this is... yours,] he could finally manage to tell her, his paws shaking lightly as they extended to hold out the rock he had been hit with. He would have wished to say something smarter than that, but he was still in shock and knew that the person in front of him looked exactly the same. He was puzzled to see the other fighter approach him, but remain silent and ignore the item he was handing to her. Instead, she walked around him in a slow pace, taking her time to examine his form, but also his aura, since her four special organs were levitating slightly. He thought her skills must have been fairly honed for her to use her power whilst her eyes were wide open. She did a full circle around him before she faced his giving paws. She took the shard from his grasp, lightly brushing his digits as she did, causing them both to release a little surprised gasp.

[Th-thank you,] she could say at long last.

It was not long before she threw the object into the big pile that was situated a few meters away, causing a little clink to be heard when the shard reached its destination. The sound seemed to extract both Pokémon from their stunned state, which was a good thing. The female jackal once again took a moment to examine the other fighting type for a few seconds. He was done doing that, but the context was very different for Diana, mainly because she had awaited such a meeting for ages, literally.

[Well I'll be... Another Lucario...] she could be heard saying as if she was confirming the situation was not a dream. She let her eyes wander onto his confused, but somewhat understanding eyes. He probably had already figured out that it was a special thing for her to be facing another of her own kind. They were not the most common species around, after all. He patiently awaited her next words with a content gaze.

[Where are my manners? I'm Diana! Nice to meet you!] she exclaimed, extending a paw to shake hands with the other Pokémon.

[Hi, Diana. I'm Godwin, it's nice to meet you too,] he said, accepting the physical gesture. The girl was seen rubbing the back of her head in a light embarrassment.

[I think I got a bit careless there and hit you with something, am I right? Sorry about that.]

[Oh, don't worry. It's nothing serious. I should have been more careful too. It was a bit silly to investigate the area of an explosion anyways...]

With that, a small silence took hold of the conversation for a moment before both canines released an amused laughter, shrugging off the little accident. Diana was glad to see Godwin was not wounded severely whilst on the other hand, the male was glad not to have intruded on anything personal. He still was astonished to meet a female Lucario. He was aware that his gender usually outnumbered hers and that it was a pretty neat thing to actually meet a young female of his species. He imagined that she must have felt somewhat the same, since he was her first Lucario encounter, by the apparent looks of it. They sat not too far from the big stash of items.

[Tell me, how'd you get all the way out here? It is a pretty lonely spot despite all of this beautiful landscape,] she asked.

[Ah, well, I won't lie,] he admitted. [I enjoy places where I can be away from others. I enjoy being alone, all by myself.]

[Ah, I see...]

He could feel her light discomfort as she rubbed one of her arms and looked away. He realized that he was not the best for coming up with warm answers. Had he already messed this up? He clenched his teeth and his fists before adding a few more words nervously.

[B-but I'm so glad I met you, Diana!]

[You are?]

The brightness in her hopeful eyes was so satisfying to gaze upon, but it was her slightly cocky grin that had been enough to make him smile just as much. She already knew what his response would be, crafty canine.

[Absolutely.]

He was momentarily distracted by a noise that emanated from the pile of rocks. One of the piled object lost its balance and headed down the stack, only to fall between the two jackals.

[Tell me, what are you doing out here?] he then questioned giving a quick glance to the shard, only to be surprised by a loud chuckle coming out of the girl.

[I am training!] she announced proudly, putting her paws onto her hips and nodding firmly. [I'm also collecting a few things, but that's another story.]

She was answered by a sincere, interested nod. The male had no doubt that the previous cave he had discovered had been the result of his acquaintance's activities. Even though they had met a few minutes ago, Godwin's impressions of Diana were already taking shape. She seemed to be a passionate girl who loved her occupation. Moreover, she really loved to train and explore the techniques and moves she could possibly use in her daily exercises. He found it very nice to see the passion burn in her red eyes as she added more details of what had happened prior to their meeting. She turned and gave a quick glance to the pile of precious objects and hummed to herself, visibly appreciating its size so far. Her behavior changed drastically as the stranger suggested something that perplexed her greatly:

[Would you like me to leave you to your training? You seem to be very busy with what you are doing and I'd hate to slow you down in your-]

She released some sort of panicked shout and almost collided with the guy as she rushed to him, firmly seizing his shoulders to prevent him from moving another muscle as he began to turn around. Needless to say, he was surprised by the dramatic comportment, but as he stared into the other Lucario's gaze, he saw something special, something he had never witnessed beforehand. She was doing some sort of adorable pout and it all seemed to be mostly playful, but the more he looked, the weirder he felt on the inside. It felt like if there was something inside his stomach. It was not annoying, but it certainly was unusual. On top of that, his inner voice who would have told him to take his distance seemed to be on vacation, not manifesting itself whatsoever. He remained still, wishing to know more.

[Please, don't go,] he could hear her implore, almost begging him. [I won't let you leave now, we've just met, Godwin!]

He would have been slightly frightened if anyone ever forbid him to leave the place, but for some reason, he just did not feel threatened by the other Pokémon in the slightest. In fact, he desired her company as well, in the end; which was something quite uncommon for him to feel. He could discern compassion both in himself, but in the girl too.

[Won't you at least take a rest?] she asked, voice heavy with worry.

[I... okay. I will stay.]

Diana released a relieved sigh and awkwardly removed her paws from the Lucario's shoulders, which she had groped very firmly. She took a deep breath and tried not to appear too crazy in front of her guest. She never would have imagined her first encounter with one of her kind to be so odd, sudden and exciting. She was not the most delicate person, that much was true, but she did value a favorable first impression. She invited him to sit with her onto the large bag she had put onto the ground, acting as some sort of cloth to shield their respective bum from the filth of the soil. Kneeling in front of him, she put both of her paws onto her thighs and closed her eyes as he installed himself comfortably. It was not really into Diana's nature to be calm, but she thought that it would have been the best bet if she wanted to justify her previous excitement and make her guest a bit less anxious.

[I have been waiting for a very, very long time to finally meet one of my own,] she told him. [It always has been a wish of mine to do so and that's why I'm pretty… agitated. I really hope I'm not scaring or bothering you. I would have hoped to exchange with you and perhaps know more about you, if that was alright with you.]

He seemed to relax as she unraveled her story and motives to him. In a way, he felt honored to be pleasing this lady by spending a few minutes with her. Her proposition did seem reasonable and to be frank, Godwin might have wanted to do as she asked. Beneath that amusing and impulsive personality resided many strong powers and an evidently superior handling of aura. He liked the sound of that, but what really made him decide to stay was the feeling he had in making the other Lucario happy. His heart seemed to be stronger than his insecurities, letting him accept the event and contribute to it.

[I would love to stay for a while, Diana. I think... we could maybe talk a bit about our common gift. I really have to say that I'm impressed by the powerfulness your skills seem to possess. By any chance, do you know any advanced techniques? I think you are probably stronger than I am.]

[I'm glad to hear that,] she said as she leaned back a little. [I think all this training really helped with my moves. It's a real passion, haha! I have not learned any technique in a long, long time, however. Last time, I remember that I got to use ExtremeSpeed, but that was many months ago, maybe even a year or two back...]

A pure look of shock was shown onto the male's face. His eyes went wide and he seemed to be out of breath for a moment. Diana looked behind her in hopes of finding a ghost Pokémon or the likes, but there was nothing in sight. She turned her attention back to the bluish jackal with a concerned expression.

[Is... Is something wrong?]

[You... you m-mastered that already? Oh dear me, I feel ashamed...]

[What's wrong? What's troubling you?]

[You are extremely, and I do say extremely strong, Diana. I can't even equalize a mere tenth of your power if what you say is true...]

She appeared to be embarrassed by his praise and astonishment. She was already conscious that her years of training would probably have given her an advantage, but she never imagined it could have been that great. In all honesty, she was training mostly for fun and to find shards, not solely for power, but it had seemed as if an impressive puissance had followed her along. She put a paw onto her muzzle lips and aimed a worried look to her interlocutor. She had not planned on intimidating him in such a manner.

[What... What is the last move you have mastered, Godwin?]

[Swords Dance.]

[Well, that's not so bad, is it?]

He rubbed one of his arms a bit timidly, out of embarrassment. It was a little. He even looked away to escape the girl's gaze. Even in his current mood, he was seen smirking a little, though. It was a very funny thing to notice that the strong Pokémon had not yet realized how superior her powers were compared to others of her own kind. Right then, he was not too sure of what took him, but he aimed a friendly gaze at the canine and pronounced the following:

[Not every day that you meet with a master of aura like yourself, hehe. I am really honored, Diana!]

She was glad to see he did not look devastated. She suspected that it must have been unusual for him to speak with strangers and so, she greatly appreciated his efforts. Not anyone could be as outgoing as she was and it would be a good opportunity to learn more about this intriguing personality he had. He was indeed mysterious. She could tell that by his posture and his non-verbal communication. Maybe she would be able to let him open up to her? Still, it felt pretty good to know she was considered so powerful. In a normal situation, she would have boasted about the matter and even given a demonstration of those puissant powers, but as she looked at the Lucario, she could realize that such a thing was not the best option to adopt. Instead, she could see the light sparkling in his eyes in his submitted attitude.

[Would you be interested in... exploring your potential?] she suggested, lowering herself a bit to take a peek at the timid male's eyes.

Bingo.

[Oh, I can't possibly ask that of you,] he objected. [You seem to have a lot of work and training to do and...]

[No "but" or "can't" or whatever,] she immediately shot in protest. [I want to share my knowledge with you!]

Either way, he never could have refused her definitive offer. He hesitated, but finally gave her a positive nod. He could have sworn she was able to perceive his will to know more. Even if he happened to be very far from equaling her strength, he really appreciated the way she wanted to transmit her techniques. It was no secret that is was something she was passionate about and thus, she had probably decided to take him under her wing. It would be a good excuse for him to stick around and ultimately, repay the favor by socializing with her, something she seemed so eager to do.

[Then it's settled! I'll teach you a tip or two, Godwin! You have to stay around, though!]

He was indeed bound to that choice, under the mercy of the female, but somehow, he felt he would have accepted to remain by her side for a while if given the option anyways. Past all this image of powerfulness and indirect superiority because of her strength, there was an undeniable cuteness in Diana that unknowingly attracted him to know more about the colorful and lovely Lucario.

* * *

Both fighters took a long pause to reveal a bit about themselves, walking around the territory as they spoke. The young man felt proud to see that Diana had gone to the extent of leaving her visibly extensive training session to focus entirely onto him. The more she talked, the better he understood why it was so important for her to pass a little bit of time with him. Even though she did speak a lot about her own perceptions when it came to aura, he could certainly feel she wanted to make him feel comfortable around her with the subject. It was like if they both were trying to tame one another. Godwin was not used to such extroversion, but in the end, he found that it really suited the girl. He would be too stubborn to admit it, but he actually thought she was pretty adorable when she drew large signs with her paws and showed her enthusiasm for everything, big and small.

She was interested and it was hard to stay put when Godwin spoke of his travels. His debit was slow and she could tell he actively thought about ever phrases he wished to use before actually saying them out loud. In a way, it felt like she was always excited to know what the next thing he would say could possibly be. What began as a little small talk had morphed into a very enlightening discussion on both parts, once they were both acclimated to the other's personality. Perhaps was it true that opposites attracted one another? Diana could only smile as she noticed how the other Lucario gradually opened up to her. She imagined it must have been a rarity for him to do so, for he mentioned a few times that she was the first one to hear about this or that.

Soon enough, three hours had already went by. The male Lucario began to cough and clear his throat every once in a while. He probably was not as used to speak for that long like the young woman did. She and the male went back to the site of their encounter. Diana rummaged through several items that hid here and there, seeking water to soothe her new friend's throat. She flashed the flask when she found it, stashed in-between potions.

[I'm sorry to be taking some of your supplies,] Godwin said. [I was hoping I'd find a water source somewhere when heading up here.]

[Bah! It's no biggie! I always get some extra, so here.]

She stood next to him and handed him a white bowl. He took the recipient with both his paws and bowed lightly as the fighter poured some crystal clear liquid into it. Godwin was more than happy to take a sip.

[Ah... that's so fresh and good...]

[Better?] she asked with a little smile. Her expression reminded him of a caring, older sister's.

[Yes, much better. Thank you.]

She let him take a bit more before addressing him once again.

[Say, really sorry to have hurt you with those stupid shards. I got potions if you need any.]

[Oh, don't worry; It's not like you could have known I was there. Come to think of it, that might have been a bit creepy without any context.]

[Pfaha! That's true! I'm just thankful you're okay.]

They shared a brief, shy smile.

[Tell me, you keep calling those rocks 'shards'. Is there a reason why?]

[Ah, but these aren't just any dull pieces of stone. They are called shards because they are actually pretty valuable. They can be sold at a good price sometimes.]

[Oh? Why is that?]

[Hmhm... Let me show you.]

She went ahead and grabbed a random object from the pile near them and held it upwards whilst she moved her other frontal paws behind it. She then produced a miniature ball of aura appear behind the item. When the light penetrated the stone, the brilliant and colorful attribute of the shard was revealed to the young man. He stared at the magnificent reddish light that emanated right in front of his eyes.

[How... beautiful...] he said in a semi-absent tone, his concentration focused on the pretty phenomenon. It was the first time he witnessed such a thing.

[And this is why I love collecting them so much. I have to tell you I also got a little stash in my den. I sell the excess at the market for a pretty nice amount.]

He nodded, appreciating the last few crimson rays before gasping in awe.

[Oh dear, I completely forgot! I need to find a shelter for the night.]

She seemed pensive for a moment. Godwin thought that she might as well be faking her state of mind because a goofy smirk was drawn onto her muzzle all along. Was she playing with him?

[Tell you what, you can come and sleep in my den, if you want,] she announced.

[Oh no. I'd never want to intrude on your privacy, Diana. I'll sleep outside if the weather is favorable.]

[Are you sure?]

[Yeah, I'll be fine.]

[Okay, if you say so.]

It was determined a bit later that some rest would do them both some good. The girl could have continued her training without any real issue, but she was concerned for her newly-appointed pupil, who still had to recover from his travelling even after a night of sleep. Furthermore, Diana had insisted that she would be giving her very first lesson the following morning and that she expected the guy to be in shape for her. He did not protest. It took them the rest of the day to walk from the tunnel and all the way up to her habitat. He regretted his decision of remaining outside of the Lucario's den when the chilly winds became more present as the evening ended and let room for a particularly cool night. He was a bit too timid to go in and ask for permission to get inside, so he had to endure the cold weather because of his shyness.

Even so, the duo felt rejuvenated when morning came to embrace them. It was cloudy still, but that did not fade their spirit one bit, especially Diana's. She introduced Godwin to her warming up routine and supervised him as he replicated each movement she did in order to warm up his muscles. Naturally, he could not show as much flexibility, but he was sure to give each of his members a good stretch. It was after this little exercise that the female jackal began to wrap her student's limbs with bandages. Just like her, his forearms, front paws, shins and foot paws were aptly bandaged. His chest was left untouched and much like Diana, his loin cloth hid his essential parts. He was finally ready to get his first lesson.

Unfortunately for the team, there was a slight discomfort when the less experienced fighter's limits were established, when Diana asked for what he was able to do. Indeed, the young man had much less moves he could use to help his own cause. He was discouraged by the complete skill tree his leader possessed. Naturally, she had not expected him to know just as much, but she was a little surprised to see how bad he felt when he admitted that he did not even know how to use Aura Sphere. Strangely, he began to sob in front of her, which was quite odd.

For many Lucario, not knowing the move that mostly defined the core of their species' powers was absolutely shameful and a great sign of immaturity. Godwin, being a tad younger Diana, was expected to have mastered such an important move and in the end, it would have brought many laughs towards him if his secret was to be known by others of his own kind. His tardiness with the defining technique was a sign that he had not yet developed a certain inner potential required to learn the move. He would have expected the girl to laugh at him, or even to reject him because of this very touchy matter, but neither of those horrible things happened.

Instead, he felt warmness, acceptance and love as her arms wrapped around him tenderly. She held him closely and talked to him with a very soft tone, realizing how embarrassed he was. She explained to him that such a thing was not important to her eyes and that it would not change the way she perceived him. She insisted that she would help him achieve this objective and that there was no shame in learning such a thing even at his current age. He needed her help and almost begged her to aid him in his quest. She friendlily patted his shoulder as he wiped his eyes and calmed down. He would not be achieving this objective in a single day, so they had a fairly lengthy talk about the subject and even delayed their training for today, putting a priority on Godwin's well-being. Learning the technique was to be a long commitment, but once he would be ready to learn it, he would know, she explained to him.

He shook his head vigorously in order to regain his composure. Then, he gave the girl a serious nod to show that he was determined to follow her teachings, relieved to have let out such a secret. They headed to the place where they had met and decided that it would be the ideal spot to begin their training. The female jackal was powerful enough to tear down some walls with her own limbs, which was not exactly the case for Godwin. To solve this little problem, the experienced fighter took a moment to weaken the face of the tunnel so that many cracks could emerge and mark the stone. She then instructed him to use his Force Palm attack to destroy the surface, if possible. The path to Aura Sphere was long and bound to be obstructed by many fails and obstacles, but she saw how willing he was and believed in him.

He concentrated and coated one of his front paws in a mystical, bluish energy. He awaited the instructor's approval before brushing the damaged surface, ensuring that the blue outline would strike the rock. Not a big change occurred on the mountainside, so he opted for a more direct approach, punching and investing a great deal of strength into his maneuver. When his fist impacted the hard matter, the aura surrounding his forepaw seemed to be absorbed, sucked by what he had punched. He shouted in pain and retracted his whole limb, feeling quite a deal of suffering.

[Rwah!]

Unfortunately, rather than accept defeat and seek help from the other fighter, he kicked at the source of his deception in the hopes of afflicting some kind of damage, but foolishly wounded his shin as well when he did. It felt like if the wall of rock laughed at him, not moving of a single inch despite of the Pokémon's great efforts. He was slightly angry to see the unfavorable results of his attempts. He was also upset because Diana had witnessed it all.

[No, no, no. That's all wrong, Godwin!]

His tail hung low, between his legs, whilst his long ears flattened themselves onto the top of his head. It was the kind of comment he had feared to hear. What a bad start this was. He expected some scolding from his teacher and that is exactly what happened to him. The experienced Lucario gently tapped his nose two times to let him clearly know that what he had done was not what she expected of him. As he looked into her eyes, however, he could see that she was not as angry as he originally thought. Instead, her brilliant red eyes showed surprise, but also a lot of concern. She immediately seized his paw before he could, quickly scanning it from any sign of wounds. He returned to his normal stance when the girl applied a potion to his forepaw and shook her head at him. The same cure was applied to his shin.

He felt as if she was superior to him in a way. She was perhaps a tad older and much more experienced than him, explaining his perception. On top of that, he imagined that she would be the one to decide what he would do and in fact, she had already begun to do that. She would supervise his training, tend to his wound herself among some other things but in the end, he knew she did all of that for him; so that he could attain his goals. Whenever he thought about it, he knew he was to be slightly submissive to her, but deep into his heart, he found out that he was taking a liking to it.

He felt a bit bad to have missed what she told him whilst he was thinking about her, but nodded at her nonetheless.

[Now, don't try to do something so rash again...]

[Yes, Diana.]

[Here, let me show you a little trick.]

She approached the guy a bit closer and stood beside him. She then coated her own palm in a bright blue light. Of course, the aura around her limb seemed to be much more concentrated, revealing that she probably knew every little secret there was to know about Force Palm. She then inched her way to the wall and used the tiniest of momentum to hit the cracked surface with the palm of her paw, rather than her digits. Soon enough, even more fissures appeared and thus, the mountain side was weakened once again. She turned towards him with a confident smirk.

[You see, you don't need to take a step back or to use all of your force to strike the target. If you do, you'll be exhausted in no time. I was able to inflict some damage even though my forepaw was almost touching the wall. The trick here is to focus so that your aura does not leave your limb and to use the flat of your paw, not your digits or your knuckles; you're not ready for that yet. It's not called Force Palm for nothing. If you can do that, you won't feel as much pain and you'll be able to practice efficiently. The goal here is to improve and master the control of your aura. Now, try it!]

He did as she wished, going in for a second round as he applied her tips. Even though he only had one or two inches separating his palm from the objective, his attempt at bashing the hard surface was somewhat satisfactory. A light thump could be heard as he attacked. A few pieces of stone dropped from the wall and fell between his feet. He glanced down to notice the fruit of his concentration and released a pleased sigh. The gaze he directed towards the young woman was filled with hope and accomplishment, even a little pinch of admiration was found in it.

[How was it?] she asked with a grin.

[So much better, I did not feel much pain this time!]

She aimed a tender look at him and even purred quietly in front of his newly-found enthusiasm. He did not possess the force required yet and to be frank, he was far from being efficient, but he certainly had the spirit to progress and surpass himself. She was proud to notice that trait in him.

[Mmm, very good. We'll spend a bit more time practicing that. I'll show you how to hit hard with momentum some other time. For now, let's keep this up, Godwin!]

* * *

With every passing day came progress, but failures and wounds did happen every once in a while. The training was certainly vigorous and although Godwin had a very good coach, he always found ways to hurt himself either by accident or because of some inattention, something that seemed to tick the girl off a little. The young woman left him all alone for the most part, because she needed to fill her shard extraction quotas if she wished to acquire currency the next time she would visit the city. Naturally, thrice as much potions and supplies were used because of her protégé. She did not mind it, but she knew that this would mean she would have to spend her reserves in order to restock next time she would be in Old Garthin.

She would check on him every once in a while, between the few mining breaks she took every day just to make sure he was alright and did not need any help. She would scold him fairly often too, without realizing it that much. It was not until the end of the day that she could finally see how punitive she had been towards the mistakes he had done. Thinking back about it, it was not his fault and there appeared to be some other reasons explaining her strictness towards him. She fell silent on each evening, when the duo was heading back to the location of the den for a good night of sleep, something that raised the male's suspicion every time:

[Are you okay, Diana? You've been pretty quiet lately.]

She remained silent. He was absolutely right and she was aware of that. The problematic attitude did not fit her personality; something was wrong. Perhaps was she too reluctant to plainly admit it, always creating excuses to explain her odd comportment after every day spent actively training? He was not pushy about it, but it was easy to see that he was wondering about what troubled her mind. He was also a bit worried to receive a big scolding if he asked too much, so the situation felt like a double-edged sword. It also seemed like if he was starting to fear any possible reprehension from her as days passed by, which made her feel really bad.

[Ah, umm... We're here...] he said in an attempt to do some small talk as the entrance of the housing came into view. [Good night?]

[Yeah... Sleep well.]

She headed inside without giving a look back at him. He prepared himself by removing his bandages and stretched his body for a moment, officially putting an end to the day of work. He sat down and gazed upon the stars the sky was filled with. Perhaps would tomorrow be a bright day at last? It would be wonderful to see the sun again...

[Godwin?]

He turned his head to meet the girl's eyes. He could see that the bluish canine had removed her bandages, except for her chest, before peeking out from the entrance of the den. Something was bound to happen, he thought.

[Yes, Diana?]

[Won't you come and sleep inside tonight?]

[You know I'd never dare to-]

[Please.]

He was taken aback to see how strangely soft her tone was. Normally, she would have seized his shoulder and dragged him, like in the tunnels, but such an event did not transpire for some reason.

[I... uh...]

He was not sure of what to say. Instead, he followed her and for the first time, threaded inside her habitat. He felt privileged to be allowed inside her den, even though he knew he would have been accepted prior to this, if not for his excessive politeness.

[Listen, Godwin. I've got to tell you something.]

[I'm listening.]

Her reddish eyes shone a little, the multiple balls of aura spread across the central room putting her physique in evidence as they directed their light at her. He never had witnessed such an amiable look from the girl. She looked beautiful under this magical setting.

[I have been so harsh with you over the past few days. I have been troubled with that since a good while. I wish to apologize to you.]

He let her speak, choosing not to disturb the order of thoughts she wanted to express.

[Training is supposed to be a fun, enlightening activity where one is offered many possibilities and has the chance to see their skills bloom. Getting stronger is not supposed to be a chore or a session of orders barked by a mentor or something like that. I've been a very bad coach and I am aware that I have been expecting too much out of you.]

[You're a severe, but very efficient teacher, Diana.]

[That's the thing. I don't want to be that.]

He raised an eyebrow at her honest retort and tilted his head slightly at this declaration.

[I want to be your friend, Godwin. I don't want to make you feel like shit or disrespect you by scolding you all the time and always telling you that you're wrong. You're such a great person to be around with and I really like you. Plus, you're doing so well and I find your perseverance admirable. I'm asking for forgiveness. I was rude towards you and I just was a real... a real bitch.]

He had to step in and put his two cents's worth into this. With a defined frown he put both of his palms onto her shoulders and shook his head.

[Diana, you were not a bitch. I never thought that of you and nor were you rude in any way. I know I can be a bit difficult to deal with because I tend to be clumsy and hurt myself a lot and I'm fully aware you have not been scolding me out of disrespect. You have a beautiful personality and I would not have anyone else be my teacher. I truly mean that. I have to say I'm not always listening to what you say and that this might be enough to frustrate you, but I really care about what you think of both me, but also yourself. I'm lucky enough that someone cares that much for me.]

She seemed to relax in his grasp.

[Maybe... we're learning more about the other still after all the time we've passed together,] she engaged as he removed his paws from her. [Although, thank you; I promise to be better from now on. I wanted to tell you that.]

[And I will listen more and be more careful. Being reckless is not good...]

[Yeah, that's for the best.]

He let out a little chuckle whilst she crossed her arms to give him a teasing smile.

[I got to say I like the soft version of Diana...]

She nudged him playfully and went behind him to push him around until he was inside a new room. He could have sworn he had spotted her hide a blush behind his back, using her playful actions to conceal it.

[Stay inside tonight,] she ordered. [No more of you freezing out there, okay?]

[Alright. I'll rest well in here. Thanks.]

She was glad to finally spot him in the den.

[It's been about time!] she launched at him with her usual, loud and slightly cocky tone. [How long as it been since we met? A whole week? Or maybe a bit more?]

[I'd say so, yeah. A bit more.]

[Good to see you in there, friend. You'll need a good night of rest; I think we'll be heading back to town next morning. It will be a long trip.]

[Ah, are we in need of supplies?]

[We are, but I also think it would be a good day to sell the shards we got.]

[Do you think we have enough?]

[No, I don't think so, but the sun might appear and that means a good profit if I'm lucky!]

She rubbed her feral digits together in gladness. She probably already had malicious plans in mind in order to get as much coins as she could get. On second thought, however, there were not as many shards in the very large bag she always travelled with and that would pose a problem. She had neglected her gem collection to train the other Lucario. On top of that, she was not alone anymore and this was noticeable due to the exhaustion of her supplies. She would have to buy much more, but with less shards. The problem was evident, but she would have to deal with it tomorrow, not tonight, for she could not think entirely straight.

With one last goodbye, she then went into her own room and took no time to fall onto the soft cushion that awaited her. With a pleased huff, she got onto her back and placed her palms behind her head. The last few days had permitted her not to overdo her training and thus, not waste every little drop of her energy before going to bed. Even though she had taken quite a bit of time to express her sentiment towards how she treated Godwin, she could genuinely tell herself that she felt happy of what just happened.

The male Lucario had once been considered as a mere student of some sort but now, he was so much more than that. He was a friend, much closer than any other. Not only did he begin to show his growing interest in his Lucario powers more evidently, he also let himself be warmer and warmer towards her. She was probably the only person he knew in the country, but that could only please her. In a way, she felt more responsibility towards keeping him safe, but also happy. She could feel he was doing the same, enduring some hard physical activity and following what she told him. With tonight's discussion, things could only get better from now on; that was certain.

* * *

[I really should take more time to appreciate the way up and down. I never thought I could see so many things. I usually just go by insanely fast with ExtremeSpeed!]

[It really is pretty.]

[Looks like you're the mentor today!]

[Maybe, haha.]

It was pretty uncommon for him to laugh, but in Diana's company, there was always bound to be something to chuckle at. He noticed that he had such a great time travelling down the mountains, through the plateaus and groves with the young female. It was somewhat new for her to take her time and so, she had the chance to spot and observe some fairly amazing landscapes. She swore never to rush the run up or down ever again.

Additionally, nature had been favorable enough to let the sunshine manifest itself. Even from within the large sack, some rays of many colors could pierce through, to a certain extent. Several looks had been aimed to the travelling Lucario as they walked past the dense forest. Now, the main gate was in view and even from such a distance, the busy crowd of curious people could be spotted in Old Garthin. Diana had the widest smirk drawn onto her face, but the other fighter did not share such a trait. In fact, he seemed to be trembling a little and even went totally silent the closer they got to the village.

[Well, I... I'll b-be waiting for you outside the c-city,] he told the girl as they finally arrived near the town border; something he was sure would be raising her suspicion.

[Leaving you behind? Pff! Never! I'll show you around!]

[Oh, please... no, I don't want to...]

[What's wrong, Godwin?]

As she turned towards him to face him more properly, she would widen her eyes in surprise to see that the young man was shaking and that he showed many signs of displeasure. His ears were low, just like his tail, which swayed between his legs. There definitely was something up with him.

[I should have... should have told you sooner.]

[What is wrong, Godwin?] she repeated, cupping her palms around his forearms, which dangled by his sides limply.

[I'm ochlophobic,] he admitted loudly and hopelessly. [I'm scared of the masses. I'm sorry.]

She understood a bit better why he preferred the lonely mountains compared to the city, now. It was an understandable excuse. Even then, she found it a bit sad to see that he would not have a good time because of this great phobia. Unfortunately for him, Diana had no intentions of leaving him behind at all. She grabbed one of his shoulders and walked by his side, dragging him whilst doing so.

[You're coming with me! I'll show you; you'll be alright.]

[N-no, that's not how I-]

[I won't let you keep that fear. I'm gonna beat it and kick it out of you. You can't live like this!]

[Diana, wait...]

She heard none of his prayers for inaction. The more he attempted to resist, the harder she pulled. There was no escape from this situation; she was far too strong for him. The small piles of soil forming under his resisting soles proved that. He felt she had gotten completely mad when they entered the busy town centre. He whined low and frantically looked around him as he was forcibly dragged into the masses. It was a short moment later that they would finally stop.

[Look at me.]

He still glanced in every direction, attempting to escape the gaze of everyone around him. All the residents minded their own business and no one seemed to be caring for the struggling canine, except for one particular fighter.

[Godwin, look at me.]

His evasive eyes were able to stare into the female's look. When he did make contact, she took his arm and held it close to her, hooking with hers. He was a bit surprised to see how close she stood to him.

[We're going to the port. Stare at the ground if you must, but never let-]

He wrapped both of his limbs around her arm to reassure himself and chose to remain quiet. He did not wish to hear the rest of her explication; he only wanted to show her that he was willing to try. He did not have much of a choice, but he would never let go of her, that was certain. Oddly, hugging the friend's limb in such a way gave him a bit of support and even calmed him quite a bit. He still shook slightly, but he found himself able to gaze into the eyes of the many people around him from time to time. When Diana began to walk, he felt as if things felt much less dramatic. Rather than focus on the active crowd, he concentrated on her touch, her warmth and even the occasional looks she gave over her own shoulder to see he was still able to progress in her company.

They stopped at a particular stall. It was there that Diana emptied her bag and began to speak to the Pokémon behind the counter. He did not look pleased and showed that with his slow movements. He was far too distracted to hear what the strong Lucario and the water Pokémon negotiated, but he could see that she was not entirely pleased. It appeared as if the Slowbro was slightly upset at her or rather, the unusually small size of the shipment she brought to him. He could hear her growl low at herself as a small purse was handed to her, probably containing a minimum of currency. Godwin did not dare to inquire about the matter. Without any goodbye to the pink creature, she turned to the male and pointed towards the city centre.

This was their last stop before exiting the city, or so claimed the girl. They entered a shop and once inside, escaped the noisy and busy outside crowd. Godwin opted for a little lean against the door frame whilst the other fighter began to browse through the multiple vials and supplies displayed onto various counters of many sizes. He watched her as she discarded every potion and herbs available to her. He knew she needed that before going into the mountains once more, so he was a bit puzzled to see her buy nourishment and water only.

[I'll explain on the way back,] she simply stated as she glanced at his curious expression for a second, feeling she had calmed down from her previous, negative encounter with the merchant.

He found himself incredibly relieved to pass back under the gate that had brought him into the heart of the marketplace, an instant later. Although he felt slightly embarrassed, he could certainly feel proud. The female Lucario thought the same. She patted his back gently and aimed a cocky smile at him. He could only let out a big sigh and bend down for a moment. The trip through town had been one heck of an experience and even if he did show some major hesitance and displeasure, he had done it. With Diana's help, he had been able to stay in town for a good while.

[So? Not too bad, huh?]

[Oh, shush, you,] he shot at her with a playful tone in his voice. [But... thank you.]

[My pleasure! I'm so proud of you, Godwin...]

They then opted to sit against the outer wall of the village. The red brick felt somewhat warm and the grassy ground was not too hard. Taking a generous pause would be ideal before venturing back up the long path. Usually, Diana would have stayed for a few additional hours at least, enough time to take a drink or two, but considering she was paired with Godwin, she decided to spare him from any further anxiousness. Still, she did not mind that much, putting a priority onto her friend's well-being. She could see him look at the unusually small bag with a hint of wonder.

[I didn't have enough gold to get all we needed,] she told him. [But, there's something we could do to compensate for the lack of medicinal items.]

[Really? What would that be?]

[I know a move called "Heal Pulse". It is a technique that will give you back some of your health and replace the potions we would have otherwise needed. Unfortunately, I can only use it on other people.]

[That means... you could heal me, but not yourself?]

[That's right. Stupid ability...]

He thought for a moment as she aimed her muzzle upwards, showing a few signs of disappointment.

[Do you think I can do that too?]

[Hmm, not sure. You might be able to do it, but it might not be as effective as mine. Either way, we'll have to see when we're back up there, because I spent every single gold piece I earned, so no healing stuff for us.]

* * *

Going back to work posed no issue, except for the fact that the dynamics had to be altered a little. It was discovered that Godwin had supposedly learned Heal Pulse a few days earlier without being aware of it. He had felt a little something one day, like if a power had awoken, but had chosen to foolishly disregard it at that time. Either way, the two Lucario were more than glad to see that they could heal one another and keep digging without needing any potions or herbs whatsoever. The only catch was that the male could not use the move as effectively as Diana. She could heal him in a quick instant, but on the flip side, he had to spend a lot of time and effort to tend to her wounds since the technique was still fairly fresh. She did possess a lot of vigor too and so, it was only normal that it took more time for him to make her feel better than the other way around. A good excuse to take longer breaks as well, surely.

This new move was something they had the chance to experiment with. While Diana could use it at a fair distance and without too much trouble, the other fighting type needed to be especially close to the more experimented individual and also required a bit of time to focus in order to execute his pulse. On the other hand, this had helped him unlock a new move: Calm Mind. Often, he took some time to meditate and use his newly-found power to boost his own stats. It averred to be quite useful, really. He also could not deny that he was feeling stronger every passing day. He was starting to be passionate about that matter as well and greatly appreciated the progress he had done so far.

He and the strong Pokémon were now working side by side in the mines, tunneling their way towards hidden shards and other possible finds. Naturally, she was able to excavate ten times faster than him, but that did not intimidate him, especially because of the numerous instances Diana had encouraged him and let him know that every little bit counted and that this was a team effort, not a competition. In a way, they were learning how to compensate between training, hunting for shards and small breaks so that they could make a profit and not run out of currency unlike last time. A realistic schedule was adopted and showed great results right away; so great that Diana decided they had earned a little treat and called Friday off.

Now, Godwin did not know what kind of special event he was to be part of and every time he asked the other Lucario; she simply shrugged and emitted a loud giggle, keeping the free day's plans to herself. He was even blindfolded when they were heading for the designated place. He protested and tried many times to take a peek, but the female never failed to prevent him from doing so. It was a few moments later that they both arrived at the designated site.

He could remark that the temperature was significantly warmer in that new area. Rather than feel the chilly wind, he could only appreciate the hot air all around him. Whatever this place happened to be, there seemed to be an evident comfort linked to it. Diana left his side and seemed to verify something. He heard a little splash, shortly followed by a content purr. He was dying to know where he was.

[Now, don't look yet, Godwin. There's something I need to do first. I'll tell you when you can look!]

He nodded despite having the intentions of not following that demand. So, he gradually lifted the black cloth that covered both of his eyes, hopeful as to not get spotted. When he did so, he could quickly see that he was standing in front of some sort of hot spring. A thick mist was seen creeping in the vicinity, indicating the water was probably quite hot. However, as he sneakily let his eyes wander about, he could also see something else; something that proved to be much more interesting than the surrounding place...

Not too far from him, on the edge of the spring, the girl stood, putting one of her foot paws into the water to verify its temperature once more. Then, she smiled and began to disrobe in front of him, seemingly trusting that he was still blindfolded. She did not verify that. She let her top fall to the ground and then worked on her loin cloth, which was disposed of neatly. Completely naked, she let her paws wander onto her sides, sliding down to her hips, which were caressed softly and petted for a minute or so. Then, one of her limbs rose up to reach her flat chest. She began to show a bit of care to this intimate area for a moment, purring very quietly.

He would have wanted to show some respect and gaze away or at least cover his eyes, but part of him was eager to stare at the beautiful jackal and her seductive movements. This interest was obviously stronger, wanting more of the sensual sighting.

Her second paw was then seen sliding down between her legs, caressing her body as it went. She bent over and reached all the way down to her most private area. She let her furry digits slide across a few times. She bit her lower muzzle lip and took a deep breath before stopping her erotic gestures. She reluctantly straightened back up; reminding herself that she was not alone and that making the guy wait would make things a bit too strange. Such a hobby would have to wait until she would be all alone in her room, back at the den. Today, she had some company with her at the springs after all...

He had just the time to put back his blindfold when she addressed him. She glanced at him, only to see that both of his forepaws were rubbing his eyes through the cloth. She lifted an eyebrow, slightly suspicious. Thankfully for him, the comfortable temperature of the water had been enough to distract her.

[You can look now!] she shouted enthusiastically as she sunk herself deep into the spring, her shoulders poking out. [Thank you for your patience.]

[It's uh... no problem, really!]

He sounded a bit nervous, but that did not seem to bring the girl's attention.

[It's really pretty around here...] he continued before gradually removing his own clothes, away from the other fighter, who respectfully looked the other way, unlike him.

[Oh, it sure is! I hope you'll like it. It's the best thing if you want to relax. The springs never fail to make me feel good, that's for sure...]

She said that with a pleased sigh. She then leaned back and closed her eyes as she let her body dip a bit further into the hot springs. The other canine took this opportunity to enter the water as well, not too far from her. She lightly splashed her soles into the water, one after the other in a playful manner. She had pulled a muscle in her shin earlier today and so, the break was very much welcomed. She closed her eyes and tilted her head back, taking it easy. Needless to say, she was still surprised and taken off guard by the initiative Godwin decided to take a few minutes later:

[Oh?]

She aimed a puzzled look at the other Pokémon, which was now sitting right next to her. He then grabbed her foot gently, tugging it carefully until it rested onto his knees, underwater still. It was delightful to notice his touch whilst he began to massage her sole. She aimed an inquiring look at him.

[I'll take care of it,] she heard him say as he escaped her gaze. He blushed a little, but that was only adorable. She put her other leg onto his lap to indicate that she very much approved of his decision. He let a smile creep up onto his muzzle and began to use both of his paws to massage the powerful creature's foot paws more appropriately. She chose to be quiet when he did his thing, letting her eyes glance at him every so often. He was doing a fine job and she did not wish to disturb him. She also imagined that it must have taken a bit of courage for him to make such a move. He and herself were getting closer every passing day and so, she was happy to see he was receptive to the affection she had shown towards him so far. The rewarding caresses themselves did feel good too.

He dared to look up once in a while, sometimes meeting with her admiring gaze, sometimes not. Either way, he simply felt the need to stare at her once every now and then. He particularly loved to see how relaxed she seemed to be. She deserved such a great break, but even then, he also wanted to let her know that he was really, really thankful for all of the help she had given to him since the very first day. He could feel proud, having such a passionate, experimented and friendly coach. It was no secret to him that he found Diana quite attractive, now that he knew her better... Still, he was reminded of that fact every time he glanced at her content expression.

It was a moment after those thoughts that he could be felt slowly climbing up her limbs. He began to rub her shins, fairly firmly manner. She appeared to be liking such actions, judging from her loud purrs. To be able to touch the woman so freely was something he had never expected to happen today, but he certainly appreciated every second of it, much like Diana did. She let her toes stroke his thighs, gently rubbing and poking at them. She was glad to hear him let out a few purrs of his own.

The exchange lasted for several additional minutes before the friends opted to cease the massaging. Godwin evidently showed some signs of timidity in front of this quiet situation, sitting so close to the one he admired so much, but was rapidly put at ease when Diana patted his back and wrapped an arm around him in a companionable way. Their generous bluish thighs touched and remained as such, both fighters prioritizing an intimate exchange. The girl looked at her good friend and placed her other forepaw onto his thigh, something that inevitably caused him to look back at her.

[You have worked so hard once more, Godwin. I am very proud of you.]

[Thank you, Diana. I couldn't have gone that far without you.]

She smiled and deposited a quick little peck onto the male's cheek.

[I'm so glad we met,] she told him whilst she nosed his neck fur. [You're the best training partner I could have hoped for.]

He nodded in agreement.

[You're also the best friend I ever had, Godwin...]

He gazed at her, lightly taken aback.

[Is that true?]

[Of course it is, silly!]she shot at him, almost insulted. [We got a few differences going on between us, but maybe that's why we're close.]

He smirked and glanced down at the water he was partially submerged into.

[I feel the same about you, Diana. Actually... I think I never had such powerful feelings for anyone else ever before.]

His red eyes rose and stared into hers.

[I'm so thankful for everything, not just the training, but for the happiness you bring me. You... mean a lot to me. I want you to know that.]

She was moved to see how he opened up to her. She was aware Godwin was not the most social individual in the land and that admitting such a thing was probably a bit tricky for him. To think that she had earned his trust, but more importantly, his friendship as well, felt really nice on the inside. However, the way he revealed this information contained something... different than his usual thanks. She rose up from her seat and moved to stand in front of him, putting both of her paws onto his thighs this time. He remained calm despite her straightforwardness, observing her with a very obvious, but patient curiosity.

[Do you like me a lot, Godwin?] she asked.

[I do... very, very much...]

[Would you be happy if I told you that I like you too? Maybe... a bit more than what you think?]

[Yes... I would.]

She found it cute to bring up the romantic matter in such a simple way. Yet, she had the impression it was favorable to ease up the communication between she and her good friend. It took them a few seconds to realize this would be the perfect moment for a little test...

Slowly, they inched their way closer to one another until they ultimately were found to be nosing, the tip of their respective muzzle gently pressing against the other. They mutually closed their eyes and tilted their head so that their muzzle lips could gently brush together. It felt amazing when they kissed; they were stuck in their current position and simply could not pull away whatsoever. They soon desired more of this first and wonderful exchange.

His palms moved to her sides and eventually grasped her. He was then seen dragging the girl closer to him, to the point of making her sit onto his lap. It was only a few moment later that he thought he might have had to ask permission to do so beforehand, but fortunately for him, Diana seemed agreeably surprised by his boldness, something she rewarded with some tender petting behind his head.

They lost themselves into this passionate moment, profiting of that warm, first kiss at its fullest. They kept at it for several additional minutes before they could finally come back to Earth with a light dizziness in their soul; a seal of proof that could only show the extent of the emotional effects this exchange was characterized by.

[How bold,] the female shot at Godwin, a cocky grin decorating her muzzle. [Taking a naked girl onto you like that without asking...]

Oh dear. He had completely forgotten about that detail. Judging from the massive blush that appeared on his face, she was not sure if it had not been cruel to tease at him in this devious manner. Still, his dumbfounded expression was priceless and thus, it was well worth it, she thought. She moved off of him and reassuringly patted his shoulder. In any case, he could not have spotted much because of the mist and water that surrounded them.

[Let's relax a bit more,] the male said in an attempt to escape the exciting thoughts, not wanting to have too much of an issue down between his legs. She accepted his proposition, leaning by his side once more. They remained in that position for an hour or two, Diana doing most of the talking as usual whilst the other fighter listened and occasionally spoke as well. They began to trade these shy smiles too, probably referring to their previous smooch, which could as well be considered the highlight of their well-deserved relaxation.

* * *

The pebbles and heavy dust that flew through the air felt comfortable despite their unfavorable attributes. This was not exactly paradise, but the two Lucario attributed a certain sense of accomplishment and happiness to their common mining activities. Going back into the tunnels and looking for shards, together, was just as exciting every time. On top of that, the efficiency of the younger canine was getting better, which was quite admirable. It was something he could certainly be proud of.

Diana could be seen smirking for a good part of the day. The more they mined, the more she could see how Godwin was progressing. There were times where she let him dig alone, just so she could see how well he was faring. He had made a good lot of progress and so, he was almost able to do everything by himself or almost. It was also a good way to stare at him as he worked hard, under her guidance. It was a sight she was never tired of. His grunts and his occasional stretching only added to the pleasing view offered to her eyes. Naturally, he was not a fool and knew that the female might have been observing him from time to time. He could be seen doing a pose for her, glancing at her whilst he sighed loudly or wiped his forehead to remove a bit of sweat. She would always take the time to reward him with a kiss or two every once in a while, something he did just the same.

It was during one of those sneaky peeping sessions that the female could notice that Godwin had suddenly stopped mining. He turned around to glance at her with a shocked expression, something that definitely caught her attention and worried her immediately. She bounced from her seat and quickly joined his side. Between both of his paws, an unusual shard was lightly shining because of the near aura spheres that idly floated about and around them to give out a decent lighting. She took it from him and used her powers to put emphasis on the hidden inner color of the object. The item casted an orange light, something Godwin had never seen before.

[Oh! An orange shard!] exclaimed the mentor. [That's a pretty uncommon find, Godwin!]

She smiled wide at him and blinked a few times as she patted his back.

[Congratulations! And good job! Looks like it's your lucky day.]

He took the shard back from her grasp as she handed it to him. He hugged it preciously against his chest. It was a little treasure of some sort to him. He was proud of Diana's reaction, thinking she might have been impressed of his discovery. He really was useful even if his digging could not be compared to hers, and this brilliant rock was there just to prove that.

[You should keep that one. It'll be a good souvenir,] she told him.

[I think I will. Thank you.]

He looked happy and very satisfied. His amiable eyes could not betray his joy. It was somewhat cute to see him cherish the object in such a precious manner. Orange shards were not exactly rare, but they were to Godwin and so, Diana could only feel glad for him. She thought for a moment, remembering of the first few rare shards she had managed to find back when she first started this adventurous business. His expression reminded her of her own a few years ago. What a cute Lucario he was at times.

[Say, could I ask you to heal my arm a little, friend?] she then asked him, momentarily dragging him out of his dreamy state. [I'd maybe need a little encouragement, too...]

[Oh! It will be my pleasure.]

He stood beside her as she sat on a particularly flat boulder. They were deep within the mountain and so, he could only rely on her own energy to keep them both under some sort of light. However, the more tired she was, the less brilliantly the tiny orbs spread around the tunnel would shine. There were times where the light was so dim that he got concerned for her well-being and protested to heal her before she could really hurt herself. These were some of the only times where she accepted his demands. She did go a bit too far in some instances; nearing a state of complete exhaustion and making him feel worried solely because of her stubbornness. His concern was something she prized very much, however and she disliked to see him worry too much.

He put both of his paws onto the designated limb and quickly went to work. His forepaws trembled very lightly as he applied a light pressure and let a mystical power flow through him to transfer over the tired female. She relaxed as she sensed his aura wrap around her arm, slowly soothing her of a light stinging present in her limb. He pressed a bit harder and eventually, he leaned forward to give her a little peck on the cheek. The bluish spheres present in the vicinity seemed to grow bigger at this particular moment.

[Encouragement, huh?] he wondered out loud in a quiet whisper, noticing how her powers had reacted to his attention. It only motivated him in making his way to her muzzle lips with a smile.

She put her palm behind his neck and forced him into a deep kiss. His healing was slightly disturbed by the sudden and passionate gesture; so much that he was forced to place a paw onto her thigh as to not lose his balance as she demanded more of both goodnesses. Her purr vibrated into his mouth and he let himself sink into her loving embrace. Soon enough, the Heal Pulse was put aside and their exchange deepened for a few minutes. They were forced to stop due to the lack of air they nearly suffered from.

[I'd eat you whole, sweety,] the girl could be heard claiming. He seemed pleased by her statement.

[That's if I don't eat you first, Diana...]

He playfully kissed down her thin neck, ultimately making his way to her shoulder, following a narrow trail down her arm, motivated by her countless, amused giggles. He reached her digits and deposited a soft kiss onto them. Her palm moved to his muzzle to caress it lightly, something he savored very enthusiastically, purring and wagging his tail intensely. She let him enjoy the gesture for a few seconds before standing up and flexing both of her arms. Duty called.

[Alright, heal me a bit more and we'll mine for an hour or two. We could go for a rest after that.]

[Yes, ma'am,] he answered with a smirk, putting one of his paws near his brow in some sort of salute. He was playful about the matter, but deep inside, he really loved to be ordered around by Diana. He would almost never say no and he particularly appreciated when she rewarded him or asked for some physical attention. He would never fail to execute those important duties and truly, he loved every single second of it. To a certain extent, he could affirm that she was giving a sense to his life. He had a feeling she could sense that. He healed her right away, a smile drawn onto his muzzle still.

They continued their excavation, Godwin doubling his mining efforts in hopes of finding another worthy gem. The other fighting type resumed her own digging and so, the tunnel was lengthened by a few additional meters yet again. She was seen tucking in shards into the large bag she dragged along behind her. It was especially heavy, compared to the previous trips. The tunnel was now too deep to try to send shards flying out with the power of aura which explained the bag's necessity. She was glad; that was a good sign. At this rate, the team of two could perhaps obtain some extra resources and spend the excess currency on some accommodations for the den.

Finally, the female Pokémon called the day off. Even from this depth, the wind that entered the bowels of the mountain was getting colder. She could tell that it was time to head out home for a well-deserved rest. Her friend nodded and dusted the grayish dust off of him, ready to get out of the mine. They began a little inspection as they went, looking for any gem they might have missed during their hard work. Diana focused onto the right side of the cavern whilst Godwin's attention was stressed onto the opposing side. From time to time, one or the other would flick their paw, using a Force Palm to extract something before stuffing it into the bag Diana carried.

At some point during their trek, nearing the entrance of the long rock corridor, Godwin halted in order to pull out a shard that has slipped the team's attention. He positioned his paw in a manner that offered his sharp spike to fit under the gem. Then, he imbued it with a mystical power and flicked it. The object dropped to the ground and he simply stared at the shard, between his foot paws, silent. Something felt… unusual. It was like if he had gotten struck by something from the inside. The girl now in front of him stopped as well and looked back at him with a puzzled face. Godwin was completely immobile and speechless. She blinked twice or thrice before she voiced out her inquiry:

[What is it? Another orange shard?] she shot at him somewhat teasingly.

He did not answer or react to her playful demeanor straight away. Instead, he slowly lifted his muzzle with what appeared to be major worry. Upon a closer inspection, Godwin did not seem distressed; he was actively thinking, reflecting on what had just happened inside his body.

[Di-Diana... Something... something just triggered inside and I... I feel-]

She hurried to his side and took hold of his forepaw, fearing some sort of malicious energy had stripped him of his vigor. She thought it might have been possible he had suddenly fell ill or something similar and so, she could not wait for him to tell her more:

[What is it, Godwin? Tell me. What's going on?]

[I'm not sure...]

She frowned and took him by the wrist.

[Let's ignore it for now. Maybe you just need some rest or some fresh air,] she concluded, not entirely satisfied by his answer, but by her decision as well since discarding the issue did not feel completely right. The male could sense that and to be completely honest, he simply did not know how to describe what was happening inside him during this strange moment. His look was blank, showing his mind was still actively trying to solve this mysterious problem. The phenomenon did not have any kind of warmth. It also did not seem to hurt; in fact, it was a little bit nice on the inside. His reflexion got so intense that he had to halt once he and Diana made it out of the cavern. The cold wind greeted them and strangely enough, this inspired Godwin about the puzzling situation he was facing.

She let go of his wrist and took a step back to analyze his expression once more. He looked back at her, visibly calculating many of his thoughts, silently. It was then that he placed both of his palms in front of him, facing one another. He bent his knees slightly and seemed to concentrate on the small space that lied between his forepaws. Soon enough, he narrowed his red eyes and hummed quietly to himself. The four organs placed behind his head rose up a few inches and remained suspended in mid-air. Amazingly enough, a magical, round shape began to materialize between his palms. He widened his look and let the sphere take a deep blue color and grow in size until it reached a decent format. Amazingly surprised, he gasped at the unbelievable sight. He was able to witness Diana's expression go from a thin smile up to a very wide and excited grin.

She shouted in complete ecstasy when she saw the light blue sphere complete its formation in front of their very eyes. She was trembling and eventually, brought both of her forepaws to her mouth as he fired the projectile upwards, towards the night sky. Both Lucario stared at the ball as it illuminated its path; a path that was admired by both Pokémon, stared at until the sphere was no longer visible, only to be lost into the deepest reaches of space, among the stars.

He had finally done it; he had finally learned the revered technique his species could proudly master. She was not sure of what to do, considering how sudden and unexpected the event really was. she was speechless and way too excited to pronounce any kind of coherent sentence, therefore she chuckled. She was soon laughing out loud, her eyes ending up in tears. She was soon joined by him. He, too, could not restrain himself from laughing out of pure joy. They almost slammed into each other when they decided to embrace one another. She kissed him hard on the cheek, then on his muzzle lips. They remained like that for a long moment, their merry laughter piercing the silent night with no trouble at all. Godwin could contemptuously say that this might have been the best moment of his life. He was in very high spirits to be sharing such an event with his beautiful love. When he finally managed to wipe his tears and gaze back at her, he would see an emotional side of Diana he had never seen before, which could only honor him in a very special way.

[I… you did… so…] she stammered so elegantly.

Seeing as she could not even manage to pronounce a full remark, she just let herself kiss him deeply with a smile she would never be able to remove. He returned the favor gladly, spinning around with the girl until they both fell onto the grass, consumed by their ecstasy. She lied onto him, facing his muzzle with a tender look as he finally expressed himself:

[It was just like what you told me; I would simply… know.]

She nodded and put each of her paws onto the sides of his happy head, caressing him gently.

[It felt amazing, didn't it?]

He wrapped his arms around her back and closed his eyes.

[It did…]

He grinned still and reopened his eyes after a while.

[And it still does,] he told her as he stared into her proud look. [I am so glad I am able to share this moment with you, Diana. It makes it even better. It feels so… magical.]

She sat up, visibly touched by his declaration, trying just as well to shake off her tears when he continued his speech, seizing her black paws:

[I love you with all my heart and soul, Diana. I never could have hoped of achieving what I did today without all of your help. Learning Aura Sphere is an astounding thing, but being your friend and loving you at the same time feels even greater. The latter is what makes it so unbelievable.]

* * *

The male Lucario was surprised by Diana's straightforwardness, but he was speechless when she ran with all of her might. She had took him in her arms and in an instant, had carried him all the way to the den. The fair distance that separated the duo from home seemed meaningless right at this instance. The speed at which the female had traveled was a clear demonstration of strength, naturally, but it was also enough to let Godwin know that the lover was impatient to go back into her lair with her prized darling. She had even dragged him by the wrist and eventually, they had entered the older Lucario's chambers.

[What are you doing?] he asked, still fairly oblivious of the evident unfolding.

She carefully made his back rest against one of the walls, standing in front of him to keep him from evading her grasp. She practically leaned against him, letting her muzzle explore his neck and chest for a moment as his question went unanswered for some time. Diana had even started to rub her hips against his in order to give him some clues about what she ultimately desired.

[We need a little celebration, don't you think?] she whispered in his pointy ear.

A celebration for learning Aura Sphere was indeed appreciated, but the amorous look in Diana's gaze and her sensual actions could only reveal that she also wished to celebrate something else… something much more important: their love. Godwin thankfully caught that and so, it was up to him to respond to the female's flirtatious act.

Guided by her own paws, his palms were placed onto her sides. He gently squeezed her, made his digits dig into her fur, looking for an approbation in her eyes. When he did get the subtle cue he sought, he let his paws gently slide down her back, until he reached her firm and round bum, which he gladly caressed. She let out a loud purr when he parted her butt cheeks and gave them a firm rub. He was gradually warming up, stepping on his usual timidity. She had feared he might not have been ready for this next step in their relationship, but a single glance at his face would reveal a glimpse of cute curiosity and a net interest for the next part.

Diana did not need to do much in order to arouse her companion. In fact, when her paw reached down to caress the canine's jackalhood, she met with an already hard rod. The Lucario released a grunt as the girl began to stroke his shaft, going at a steady and gentle rhythm, more than pleased by his vocalizations. She then moved down to grope his knot, watching his response acutely with a lot of eagerness. He appeared to absolutely love where she was going with this.

He remained silent as he relaxed and closed his eyes. Diana's touch felt simply fantastic. It was difficult not to completely succumb to her expert fondling. Truth be told, it was like if she knew exactly how to please him; like if she could tell precisely how he wanted her to stroke him.

It suddenly hit him.

Opening his eyes, he could see that there was a very dim bluish glow surrounding the female's red eyes. When she glanced at him, seizing him in an excessively stimulating way, he realized that she was reading his aura and thus, that explained why her dexterous actions felt so perfect. By synchronizing her own aura with his, she could see a hidden side of him, invisible to the naked eye, that revealed his strongest wishes and the manner in which he wished to engage with her. To put it simply, she could read his lustfulness he possessed towards her.

[How… how did you-]

She put a digit onto his muzzle lips whilst her busy paw abandoned its work, placing itself behind his head instead.

[You're getting closer, aren't you?] she asked him, hinting that it was too soon for her taste, but understanding that it had been hard for her not to please him in such a delightful manner. On the other hand, Diana felt so empowered knowing she could cause so much sexual ecstasy in Godwin. This whole dimension of control over him aroused her significantly. [How about you try and repay the favor, Mister?]

She could have asked it in a more sexy way or in a more gentle fashion, but there was something about her friendly, yet gutsy teasing that really got Godwin going. He loved it so much when she did such a thing. It felt like… her. Her daring look could only perfectly support her demand. Somehow, it inspired the male and gave him confidence; he moved his palm onto her lower stomach and then, slowly slid it downwards until he reached her warm bits. Once down there, he could feel a paw direct him further in order to reach a comfortable spot for both lovers.

[Like this,] she instructed with a low and romantic voice. [Up and down, your middle finger in the center.]

[Like this?] he repeated, unsure.

[Exactly,] she affirmed with a nod. [Now, make some magic, dear.]

Slowly, he followed her demand, making his digits glide up and down her privates, his limb placed in such a manner that it permitted him to caress each sides and between her moistened pussy lips. She, on her side, got busy with her very special button, circling around it, teasing it so gently as her gaze hungrily stared into his. It did not take much to make her moan quietly. The combined effort felt so astonishingly amazing that Diana began to produce louder vocalizations in a manner of seconds.

Her own masturbation was quite effective, but it was Godwin's brushing that made her so incredibly excited. She became wet quickly and truth be told, it was very difficult for her to remain at this slow pace. Thus, she began to use her legs in order to make her grind against Godwin's digits. It quickly felt much better, but the younger Pokémon would do something that might as well be a proof that he was full of surprises...

At one point, he lifted one of her legs and held it so that he could have a better access to her sensible area. She did not have the time to moan that he began to prod her entrance with his middle digit. He continuously teased her like that, almost getting in her, but not quite, which was enough to rise her pleasure dramatically. She had not expected such a thing from him; it was a very nice surprise that caused her to start expressing her growing sexual satisfaction more evidently by releasing a shout every once in a while. This lasted a few lust-filled minutes until she simply could not take any more; she wanted him so immensely.

[I know something that could fit in there like a glove…] she whispered.

She walked backwards until she felt the edge of the comfy bed touch the back of her strong legs. Then, she let herself go and reclined onto the soft surface. Lying on her back, she watched as Godwin approached her. She raised one of her foot paws and put it on his chest when he tried to lean in to get on top of her, stopping him. Standing at the edge of the bed, he stared at her so fervidly that she almost felt bad. She then spread herself slightly and moved both of her shins onto his shoulders, giving him a sly wink. She had the intuition he did not need to be able to read her aura so intimately to know what she, herself, desired.

That position felt so nice. The thought alone that she would let him take her in such a way was enough to fully arouse him down below. His hot member was dying to see some action, fully erected and twitching out of pure sexual excitement. He could notice her lustful stare was directly focused at his jackalhood. She only glanced back into his eyes when he positioned himself a bit better by wrapping his arms around her lifted legs to support himself, his cock hovering over her privates, almost touching her.

He could swear he never had been this aroused in his whole life; the precum that leaked out of him was there to testify that. He could not restrain himself from releasing a pleased grunt when the warmness of his member touched the hotness of the female's privates, resting on top of her folds. Right then, he felt so compelled to enter and breed like there was no tomorrow, but his heart told him otherwise. Instead, he began to rub himself against her lips, smoothly, as some sort of warm up from what was to happen in a few moments.

She tilted her head backwards and began to massage the back of her generous thighs whilst the male generously coated himself in her wetness. This grinding lasted only for a short moment because the more his stick rubbed, the less bearable the tension was. So, Godwin instead switched his technique by instead poking her entrance with the tip of his canine dick.

[Are you ready?] he briefly queried.

She nodded at him and grinned as he began to push towards her, his member begging to gain access to her warm tunnel. At first it did not look like he would have been able to enter, but suddenly, as he was gently applying pressure, his cock simply slid right inside. The quick trust caused them both to release some sort of astonished growl. Godwin looked up at the other fighting type, only to be greeted by a playful expression.

A quick giggle was exchanged, but it did not last long because there was another task at hand. Slowly he began to pull out, gradually, before gliding back into her depths. Soon enough, by using her legs as a viable support, he could manage to achieve a fairly slow rhythm. He constantly remained inside her as he went back and forth. It felt incredible, both physically and emotionally, to be connected with her in the most intimate way possible yet, they both were inclined to speed up and see how they would manage for the next step.

The more Godwin pumped, the louder Diana moaned. In fact, it was safe to say that the guy was slightly shocked when the strong Lucario's voice got louder and louder. She was practically screaming out of genuine ecstasy at this point, but still, he had never imagined she would be so incredibly vociferous so soon. Surely he was doing his job right. His hips rocked back and forth nevertheless, dying to see how much he could please her.

He normally would have been more hesitant in such a scenario, but seeing as the two of them were completely alone in the mountains, he realized he did not have to worry about waking up anyone. Instead, he had to put this worry towards the lusty Lucario and her orders; orders he would be happy to execute. He would let her shout as much as she wanted.

[More! I want more!] she exclaimed, bracing herself onto the mattress as her body knew not where to lie anymore, consumed by a complete exhilaration.

He leaned a little forward, making Diana's legs tilt further towards her and then dug his footpaws into the ground as he began to pound her with more force. He was so glad to hear her cries double in intensity that he felt he could keep going at this fast pace all night long. His hips rocked back and forth quite rapidly and thus, the sound they could both hear every time he collided against her round ass just made them both hornier than ever before. Soon enough, they lost themselves into the great concupiscence of their love making with nothing else in the world mattering except the passion surrounding this whole spectacle.

The waves of pleasure were fast to take control of her entire body, each successive dose of sexual delectation beating the previous one. Her footpaws curled, her maw opened wide and she tightly grabbed the surface she lied on as she braced for the big moment. She fell completely silent for a second and then, released the most vehement moan of them all as she came, clenching around the other Lucario as she did. The experience was quite extraordinary, but soon enough, fatigue would begin to take its place whilst the climax was ending, disappearing. She spoke to her lover while there still was some leftovers of the pleasant frenzy:

[Get in… completely,] she asked. [I want you to the fullest, Godwin.]

He found it very thoughtful of her to want him to finish as well. To be completely frank, he was happy she asked such a thing, but he knew that he was so close to the edge that he would probably reach his climax if he did enter her. Judging by her eyes, it seemed that she already knew that and as such, no protesting would make her change her mind. She wanted to be in control until the very end.

[Inside me, my dear.]

He nodded and immediately, he started to push. His knot faced a bit of resistance, but the girl was so wet and ready for him that eventually, he popped right into her, his privates inserted all the way up to his balls. When it happened, he let go of Diana's back limbs and instead pushed a bit further as he leaned towards the female jackal, licking her neck whilst he put her legs on both sides of him.

[Ah, ahhh!]

She wrapped arms and legs around him with what remained of her strength and gasped as she tightly squeezed around his parts, forcing him to release his warm fluids. He breathed hard as he gave a few more trusts, having an orgasm of his own as he filled his lover. He, too, felt that his entire body was about to turn to pudding.

[Diana… I… inside you.]

Despite his gradual fatigue settling in as he found himself locked into her, he was preoccupied. She was quick to drag him closer and pet the back of his head, shushing him from saying anything else.

[Don't worry, Godwin. I'm always prepared, regardless of the type of training we do together.]

He thought for a moment, then caught on the hint she had given him. He sighed, relieved, and then, relaxed in her grasp. Fated to remain in that position for quite some time because of his canine anatomy, he decided to wait it out by resting onto her, letting the girl caress his back whilst they shared their vows of true love. No words could describe the sentiments they shared as they locked themselves into the most devoted mutual gaze, for an instant, until sleep would claim them both.

This was, without a doubt, a night to remember...


End file.
